NASA launches Next Generation Weather Satellite GOES-R

The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) on 20 November 2016 launched the highly advanced geostationary weather satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R).

The Satellite was launched by NASA on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was launched on board of Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Highlights of the Satellite
• It will boost the weather observation capabilities of the US, leading to more accurate and timely forecasts, watches and warnings.
• It will be into the operations within a year after undergoing testing and validation of new instruments including the first operational lightning mapper in geostationary orbit.
• Its primary instrument Advanced Baseline Imager will provide images of Earth’s weather, oceans and environment with 16 different spectral bands.
• It is also first satellite to carry a lightning mapper instrument to geostationary orbit.
• It will photograph lightning activity throughout Western Hemisphere about 200 times every second.
• It will monitor the sun and relay crucial information to forecasters so they can issue space weather alerts and warnings.
• It will also be a part of the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) System, an international satellite-based search and rescue network operated by NOAA.

Background
There are four satellites in the GOES series: GOES-R, GOES-S, GOES-T and GOES-U, which will extend NOAA’s geostationary coverage through 2036 and GOES-R is the first among these four new advanced weather satellites managed by NOAA.

NOAA manages the GOES-R Series Program through an integrated NOAA-NASA office. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland oversees the acquisition of the GOES-R series spacecraft and instruments.