# Megha-Tropiques

> weather satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q1493326](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1493326)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megha-Tropiques)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/megha-tropiques

## Summary
Megha-Tropiques is an Indian weather satellite operated by ISRO, launched on October 12, 2011. It is designed to study atmospheric water cycle and tropical weather systems from a sun-synchronous orbit.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** October 12, 2011.
- **Operator:** Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- **Launch Vehicle:** Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-CA (PSLV-CA).
- **Launch Site:** Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad.
- **Orbit Types:** Sun-synchronous orbit and polar orbit.
- **Classification:** Weather satellite and Earth observation satellite.
- **COSPAR ID:** 2011-058A.
- **Controlled By:** ISRO.
- **Satellite ID (SCN):** 37838.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of Megha-Tropiques?
A: Megha-Tropiques is a weather satellite specifically designed to monitor and study the atmospheric water cycle and tropical weather phenomena, providing data crucial for weather forecasting and climate research in tropical regions.

### Q: Which organization launched and operates Megha-Tropiques?
A: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is responsible for launching and operating Megha-Tropiques.

### Q: When and where was Megha-Tropiques launched?
A: It was launched on October 12, 2011, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-CA (PSLV-CA).

### Q: What unique orbit does Megha-Tropiques use?
A: Megha-Tropiques operates in a sun-synchronous orbit, specifically designed to revisit the same geographic area at consistent times, enabling regular observations of tropical regions.

## Why It Matters
Megha-Tropiques significantly advances the understanding of tropical weather systems, which are critical for predicting monsoons, cyclones, and other severe weather events affecting billions of people. Its targeted observations of atmospheric humidity, radiation, and clouds fill critical gaps in global climate models, improving the accuracy of weather forecasts and climate change projections, particularly over data-sparse tropical oceans and regions like India. This satellite directly contributes to disaster preparedness and resource management in vulnerable tropical areas.

## Notable For
- **Tropical Focus:** Explicitly designed to study the atmosphere in the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), addressing a unique niche compared to general weather satellites.
- **French Collaboration:** Developed in partnership with CNES (French space agency), combining Indian and French expertise.
- **Specialized Instruments:** Carries payload specifically optimized for measuring atmospheric water vapor, radiation, and cloud properties critical for tropical dynamics.
- **Sun-Synchronous Orbit:** Operates in a specific sun-synchronous polar orbit tailored for consistent tropical observations.

## Body
### Launch and Deployment
- Megha-Tropiques was successfully launched on **October 12, 2011**.
- The mission began from the **Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad**.
- It was carried into orbit by a **Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-CA (PSLV-CA)** rocket.

### Ownership and Operation
- **Operator:** Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- **Owner:** ISRO.
- **COSPAR ID:** 2011-058A.
- **SCN (Satellite Catalog Number):** 37838.

### Technical Classification
- **Instance Of:** Weather satellite, Earth observation satellite.
- **Satellite Of:** Sun-synchronous orbit, polar orbit.
- **Wikipedia Title:** Megha-Tropiques.
- **Wikipedia Languages:** Catalan, German, English, Finnish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Latvian, Malayalam.
- **Wikidata Description:** Weather satellite.
- **Site Link Count:** 12 (refers to links on Wikidata).

### Identifiers
- **Freebase ID:** /m/047rl6s.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.isro.gov.in/launchers/list-of-pslv-launches)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013