Today is the 30th anniversary of the loss of NOAA-8, one of NOAA's polar-orbiting environmental satellites.
NOAA-8 was launched on March 28, 1983, and provided an economical and stable sun-synchronous platform for its instruments, which were designed to measure the earth's atmosphere, surface, cloud cover and near-space environment.
Although expected to remain operational for at least two years, NOAA-8 experienced a minor malfunction in June 1984 and was then lost on December 29, 1985, following a thermal runaway that destroyed a battery.
For (a lot) more about NOAA's polar orbiting satellites, see http://go.usa.gov/c9ddF
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