Key statistics
Satellite MERIDIAN 8 at a glance.
Uptime
2118
Days in orbit
Revolutions
≈ 2.0
Per day
Orbit
HEO
HEO
Inclination
62.8
Latest
Satellite identification and parameters
Extended collection of information and parameters for MERIDIAN 8.
Object identification
Identified? True
Debris? False
Object name: MERIDIAN 8
International designator: 2019-046A
Object number (NORAD): 44453
Object ID (CCSDS): 44453
Country: COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)
Current information (Y/N): Y
RCS size: LARGE
Orbital parameters
Period: 717.815 minutes
Inclination: 62.8178 deg
SMA: 26556.368 km
Apoapsis: 38548.742 km
Periapsis: 1807.725 km
RAAN: 99.9375 deg
Eccentricy: 0.6917553
Argument of periapsis: 273.8024 deg
Mean anomaly: 16.281 deg
Mean motion: 2.00608686 rev/day
Mean motion (dot): 0.00000226 rev/day2
B* drag term: 0.0 1/REarth
Two-line elements (TLE)
Creation date: May 16, 2025, 7:15 p.m.
Reference frame: TEME
Reference center: EARTH
Epoch: May 15, 2025, 10:46 p.m. UTC
TLE line 0: 0 MERIDIAN 8
TLE line 1: 1 44453U 19046A 25135.94924014 .00000226 00000-0 00000-0 0 9999
TLE line 2: 2 44453 62.8178 99.9375 6917553 273.8024 16.2810 2.00608686 42378
Live tracking on map
Real-time ground track for satellite MERIDIAN 8.
In-orbit conjunctions
There are no conjunctions computed for MERIDIAN 8, at the moment. Check back to stay up to date, as we update our databases every day.
Go to all conjunctionsAssociated space launch
The Meridian series of communications satellites is reported to be the replacement for all the Molniya-1T, the Molniya-3 and Molniya-3K satellite series and possibly also for the communication component of the Parus. They are launched into highly eccentric Molniya-orbits. Meridian is the highly eccentric orbit (HEO) component of the Integrated Satellite Communications System (ISSS), where they work in conjunction with the geostationary Raduga-1M (Globus-M) satellites. The bus structure is reportedly pressurized, possibly based on the Uragan-M bus. Meridian satellites carry three transponders operating in different frequency bands.
MERIDIAN 8 was lifted into orbit during the mission ‘Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M | Meridian-M No.18’, on board a Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M space rocket.
The launch took place on July 30, 2019, 5:57 a.m. from 43/4 (43R).
For more information about the launch, click the button.
Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M | Meridian-M No.18
Agency: N/A
Status: Launch Successful
Launch date: July 30, 2019, 5:57 a.m. UTC
Rocket: Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Launch pad: 43/4 (43R)
Location: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
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Latest news about this satellite
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