ESSA-8

ESSA-8 was a weather satellite launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on December 15, 1968, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).

ESSA-8

Mission type	Weather satellite
Operator	ESSA/NASA[1]
COSPAR ID	1968-114A
SATCAT no.	3615
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	RCA Astro
Launch mass	297 kilograms (655 lb)[2]
Start of mission
Launch date	December 15, 1968, 17:21:04 (1968-12-15UTC17:21:04Z) UTC[3]
Rocket	Delta N
Launch site	Vandenberg SLC-2E
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	March 12, 1976 (1976-03-13)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Semi-major axis	7,816.70 kilometers (4,857.07 mi)
Eccentricity	0.0031481
Perigee altitude	1,421 kilometers (883 mi)
Apogee altitude	1,470 kilometers (910 mi)
Inclination	101.31 degrees
Period	114.63 minutes
Epoch	December 7, 2013, 13:01:30 UTC[4]
TOS ← ESSA-7 ESSA-9 →

ESSA-8 was an 18-sided polygon. It measured 42 inches (110 cm) in diameter by 22 inches (56 cm) in height, with a mass of 130 kilograms (290 lb). It was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel covered with 10,020 solar cells. The cells charged 63 nickel–cadmium batteries, which served as a power source. The satellite could take 8 to 10 pictures every 24 hours. Each photo covered a 2,000-square-mile (5,200 km²) area at a resolution of 2 miles (3.2 km) per pixel.

ESSA-8's mission was to replace ESSA-6, and provide detailed cloud pattern photography to ground stations worldwide. Partners in the project included NASA, ESSA, RCA, the National Weather Service, and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NMC).

ESSA-8 operated for 2,644 days until it was deactivated on March 12, 1976.