Key statistics
Satellite MERIDIAN 8 at a glance.
Uptime
2232
Days in orbit
Revolutions
≈ 2.0
Per day
Orbit
HEO
HEO
Inclination
62.9
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: 717.794 minutes
Inclination: 62.888 deg
SMA: 26555.839 km
Apoapsis: 38669.426 km
Periapsis: 1685.983 km
RAAN: 86.8566 deg
Eccentricy: 0.69633352
Argument of periapsis: 274.0483 deg
Mean anomaly: 15.8478 deg
Mean motion: 2.00614681 rev/day
Mean motion (dot): 0.00000096 rev/day2
B* drag term: 0.0 1/REarth
Two-line elements (TLE)
Creation date: Sept. 3, 2025, 10:15 a.m.
Reference frame: TEME
Reference center: EARTH
Epoch: Sept. 2, 2025, 2:41 p.m. UTC
TLE line 0: 0 MERIDIAN 8
TLE line 1: 1 44453U 19046A 25245.61187631 .00000096 00000-0 00000-0 0 9996
TLE line 2: 2 44453 62.8880 86.8566 6963335 274.0483 15.8478 2.00614681 44577
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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