asked the Minister for Transport the status of the American and Russian satellites which overpass Ireland, and from which pictures are being received regularly by the meteorological service.
Written Answers . - Satellite Pictures .
447.
: The American and Russian satellites from which pictures are received regularly by the Meteorological Service are special weather satellites. Each of the two countries has two such satellites in operation at present. All four satellites are in near-circular polar orbits at heights between 800 and 900 kilometers. Each satellite completes about 14 orbits per day and six or seven orbits of each satellite pass within view of Ireland every day.
The picture of cloud cover transmitted by the satellites may be received by any suitably equipped ground station within view. The American and Russian administration publish information to enable each country to receive the transmissions from their satellites. There is no agreement (formal or informal) on the matter with either the US or the USSR and the question of payment to either country for these facilities does not arise.