NOAA & NASA - Atlas V / GOES-R launch poster.
Nov. 19, 2016
Image above: Liftoff! The United Launch Alliance Atlas V has cleared the tower and GOES-R is on its way into orbit! Image Credit: NASA.
NOAA's GOES-R weather satellite is carried away from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as viewers capture video on their phones. GOES-R launched to orbit at 6:42 p.m. EST on Saturday. The GOES-R series will significantly improve the detection and observation of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property and our nation’s economic health and prosperity.
Advanced Weather Satellite Launched into Orbit
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 configuration rocket launches the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) mission for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA.
Mission Description:
GOES-R is the first of four satellites to be launched for NOAA in a new and advanced series of spacecraft. Once in geostationary orbit, it will be known as GOES-16.
Image above: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series (GOES-R)· Image Credit: Lockheed Martin.
Compared with today’s geostationary satellites, GOES-R will scan the Earth five times faster at four times image resolution and triple the number of channels scientists can tap into to observe global weather and climate. GOES-R will support short-term forecasts and severe storm watches and warnings, maritime forecasts, seasonal predictions, drought outlooks and space weather predictions. The satellite also will improve hurricane tracking and intensity forecasts, increase thunderstorm and tornado warning lead time, improve aviation flight route planning, and provide data for long-term climate variability studies.
In addition to weather forecasting, GOES-R carries a transponder to detect distress signals from emergency beacons on aircraft, boats/ships and carried by individuals as part of the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system.
United Launch Alliance (ULA): http://www.ulalaunch.com/
Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: ULA/NASA/NASA TV/Steven Siceloff.
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