[SatNews] Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced today that it has completed work on the Himawari-8 satellite, the next nexgen geostationary meteorological satellite based on a contract awarded by the the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Artistic rendition of the Himawari-8 satellite.

Image is courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

The completed Himawari-8 satellite at Mitsubishi Electric's space works center.

Himawari-8 will be soon be delivered to Tanegashima Space Center, Japan, from where it is scheduled to be launched into orbit on October 7. Himawari-8, the successor to the the Mulch-functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT-2) satellite, is equipped with a new payload for a highly upgraded meteorological observation mission. Unlike MTSAT-2, color images will be generated and spatial resolution will be twice as detailed. Observational data collected with Himawari-8 will enhance climate forecasting, weather prediction accuracy and environmental monitoring of weather, such as typhoons and torrential rain. Data will be provided to more than 30 countries in the Asia and Pacific region to support advanced meteorological services, particularly improved natural disaster prevention and transportation safety.

Himawari-8 is the eighth satellite to incorporate Mitsubishi Electric's original DS2000 satellite platform. Its sister, Himawari-9, is currently being built at the company's Kamakura Works. When Himawari-9 is launched in 2016, it will mark more than 20 years of Mitsubishi Electric's involvement with geostationary meteorological satellites, beginning with MTSAT-2. By 2017, the company expects to have produced 15 DS200 satellites. To date, all DS2000 satellites launched have operated successfully. Building on this track record, Mitsubishi Electric will continue to serve the global commercial satellite market with its ever-increasing family of reliable DS2000 satellites.

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