Mishap board completes investigation into NOAA’s GOES-17 ABI

August 1, 2019

A blockage in the loop heat pipe of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), the primary instrument on NOAA’s GOES-17 satellite, prevented the instrument from cooling properly and impeded its ability to collect data, according to a special Mishap Investigation Board.

During the instrument check-out phase after GOES-17’s March 1, 2018 launch, engineers discovered the ABI’s infrared detectors could not maintain the required temperatures in certain orbital conditions.

The board, which NOAA and NASA appointed, concluded that the blockage restricted the flow of coolant in the pipes, causing the ABI electronics to overheat, reducing the sensitivity of its infrared sensors.

Engineers were able to mitigate the issue through operational changes to the instrument and mission operations, including the use of Artificial Intelligence techniques, to restore most of the ABI’s functionality. The GOES-17 ABI is now projected to deliver more than 97 percent of the data it was designed to provide.

Today, GOES-17 is providing faster, more accurate, and more detailed observations used by NOAA National Weather Service forecasters to predict Pacific storm systems, severe storms, fog, wildfires and other environmental dangers. Also, GOES-17 is monitoring tropical cyclones in the eastern Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii.

The Mishap Investigation Board Summary Report is available online.

NASA, NOAA Convene GOES-17 Mishap Investigation Board

October 2, 2018

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have appointed a board to investigate an instrument anomaly aboard the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 17 weather satellite currently in orbit.

During postlaunch testing of the satellite’s Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) instrument, it was discovered that the instrument’s infrared detectors cannot be maintained at their required operating temperatures under certain seasonal and orbital conditions,resulting in a loss of approximately three percent of the instrument’s availability over the course of a year. This loss exceeds a key design requirement.

NASA and NOAA senior leadership have determined the need to convene the mishap investigation board, which will work to determine the root or proximate cause of the anomaly and identify actions to prevent occurrences on future satellites. The board will begin its work as soon as possible.

David McGowan, chief engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center, will chair the five-member board. The other four members are:

Dr. Joel Lachter, human factors investigator, NASA’s Ames Research Center

Rich Slywczak, safety officer, NASA’s Glenn Research Center

Hank Rotter, NASA Engineering and Safety Center technical fellow for active thermal systems, NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Julie Grantier, senior technical lead for systems engineering, NASA’s Glenn Research Center

GOES-17 is one of several next-generation weather satellites in the GOES-R series, including GOES-16, which currently serves as the operational geostationary weather satellite over the U.S. East coast. Later this year, GOES-17 will become operational as the GOES West satellite. Two additional satellites, GOES-T and GOES-U, are currently in development. The advanced instrument technology used on these satellites is contributing to more timely and accurate weather forecasts and warnings.

The GOES-R Series program is a collaborative effort between NOAA, NASA and industry partners. NOAA manages the GOES-R Series program through an integrated NOAA/NASA office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. NASA also oversees the acquisition of the spacecraft, instruments and launch vehicles. Mission operations are performed by NOAA at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland.

For more information about the GOES-R Series, visit: https://www.goes-r.gov

One step closer to 24/7 operations: GOES-17 “Beta” Data Set for Release to Science and Forecasting Community

August 27, 2018

This week, NOAA will begin releasing GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) “beta” level data and imagery—data which are still preliminary and not yet fully ready for use--to forecasters and scientific partners. This is an important step in making sure that GOES-17 is ready to do its job of providing timely, accurate data for weather forecasting and environmental monitoring.

This week, NOAA will begin releasing GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) “beta” level data and imagery—data which are still preliminary and not yet fully ready for use--to forecasters and scientific partners. This is an important step in making sure that GOES-17 is ready to do its job of providing timely, accurate data for weather forecasting and environmental monitoring.

Why is NOAA releasing this data?

In order to get ready to use data from GOES-17 (or any new satellite) for 24/7 operations, forecasters and scientists need an opportunity to test their data flow mechanisms and to see how to incorporate the data into science products and forecasting processes.

This is especially important in the case of GOES-17, since we know that some of the data, at certain times of the year, may be of lesser quality due to problems with the ABI loop heat pipe. By distributing this data to the larger NOAA and partner community, we are providing NOAA and the community of users the opportunity to understand the ABI data quality and to prepare to use the data operationally.

How are we releasing the data?

An example of degraded imagery from August 14, 2018 near the time of peak detector temperatures. Band 16 is among the first to degrade when the detectors warm up; other IR bands are still fine at the higher temperatures.

We are releasing the data through the GOES Rebroadcast service (GRB) distribution mechanism. Anyone who has access to this technical distribution system will be able to receive the preliminary, non-operational data.

What will the scientists see?

Most of the data coming from GOES-17 has been excellent. On August 8 we released several examples of that data. We know, however, that some of the data will be degraded when it starts to flow because we are in one of the warmest parts of the year for the operation of the satellite.



During the instrument’s “cool” seasons (near the summer and winter solstice), all channels are expected to be available 24 hours per day. During the instrument’s “warm” seasons (before and after the vernal and autumnal equinox), experts estimate 7 channels (bands 1-7) will be available 24 hours per day and the other 9 channels (bands 8-16) will be saturated, with images degraded or unusable 2-6 hours per night. These estimates are preliminary and are still being refined.

The bottom line:

Although the cooling system of the GOES-17 ABI is not working as it should, experts have made tremendous progress in improving the operation of the satellite to make the most of its capabilities. That work continues. Releasing the beta data will help scientists and forecasters use the data as effectively as possible.

In the meantime, NOAA’s operational geostationary constellation -- GOES-16, operating as GOES-East, GOES-15, operating as GOES-West, and GOES-14, operating as the on-orbit spare -- continues to remain healthy and monitoring weather across the nation each day.

This 16-panel image shows a snapshot of the continental U.S. and surrounding oceans from each of the Advanced Baseline Imager channels on July 29, 2018. This imagery was captured between the instrument’s “cool” and “warm” season, when all 16 channels are available 24 hours per day. During the instrument’s “warm” seasons, varied data outages are expected for 9 of the channels during nighttime hours. The ABI’s increased channels provide three times more spectral information than the previous GOES imager. Credit: NOAA/NASA

NOAA Shares First Infrared Imagery from GOES-17 Satellite

August 8, 2018

While experts continue addressing an issue with the cooling system of GOES-17’s Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), they have made progress in increasing the available observing time of the affected infrared channels. Due to adjustments in operating procedures, the ABI is demonstrating improved performance from initial observations.

This 16-panel image shows a snapshot of the continental U.S. and surrounding oceans from each of the Advanced Baseline Imager channels at 2:02 p.m. EDT on July 29, 2018. This includes, from top left to bottom right, two visible channels, four near-infrared channels, and ten infrared channels. Each channel has a specific purpose in discerning meteorological and environmental features. A number of features can be seen in this image, including clouds over the mid-Mississippi region and off both coasts, the warm land temperatures over the Western U.S., and atmospheric moisture. This imagery was captured between the instrument’s “cool” and “warm” season, when all 16 channels are available 24 hours per day. During the instrument’s “warm” seasons, varied data outages are expected for 9 of the channels during nighttime hours. The ABI’s increased channels provide three times more spectral information than the previous GOES imager. Credit: NOAA/NASA



This new imagery shows data are currently available from all 16 ABI channels. Channel availability will fluctuate seasonally depending on the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the instrument. During the instrument’s “cool” seasons (near the summer and winter solstice), all channels are expected to be available 24 hours per day. During the instrument’s “warm” seasons (around the vernal and autumnal equinox), experts estimate that seven channels (bands 1-7) will be available 24 hours per day, while the other nine channels (bands 8-16) will have outages of 2-6 hours per night. These estimates are preliminary and are still being refined.

The warmest part of the season is coming up in early September and performance estimates will need to be confirmed through observation during that time.

Infrared imagery is used to monitor aerosols, clouds, thunderstorms, hurricanes, rainfall, moisture, atmospheric motion, and volcanic ash. Among the channels that are expected to be fully available is the band that is used for fog/cloud identification at night and for fire/hot spot detection, which will be critical for forecasters in the western U.S.



This color-enhanced imagery from one of GOES-17’s longwave infrared bands shows convective activity in the western U.S. on July 29, 2018. Band 14 is used to characterize atmospheric processes associated with thunderstorms and convective complexes. The cold clouds in this animation (colored red and black) are associated with a storm system that included reports of tornadoes, hail and strong wind. Credit: NOAA/NASA



NOAA plans to move GOES-17 into operational service in late 2018. The operational configuration will be determined in consultation with the NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations, the National Weather Service, and other stakeholders. GOES-17 is currently observing with more channels, at a higher resolution, and with more rapid refresh than what is available from the current GOES West satellite. While the GOES-17 imager will not produce the full set of planned data, it will provide more and better data than currently available. Experts are confident the GOES constellation will continue to meet the operational needs of the National Weather Service and forecasters across the nation.

NOAA released imagery from the visible and near-infrared bands not affected by the cooling system issue in May. The agency recently provided an update on the instrument’s performance and the latest information on the investigation. Listen to audio from the media teleconference.

July 30, 2018

This past week, top officials from NOAA shared new updates on efforts to resolve the technical issues impacting the performance of the GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), predicting all of the ABI spectral channels will be available for the majority of the day.

The ABI, the primary instrument onboard the satellite, has experienced trouble with its cooling system during the orbital check-out phase of GOES-17's six instruments. The other five instruments are performing normally.

On ABI, the cooling system of the ABI is not functioning properly. Currently the loop heat pipe subsystem, which transfers heat from the ABI electronics to the radiator, is malfunctioning. This is preventing adequate cooling for some of the infrared (IR) channels on the instrument during parts of the day, leading to partial loss of ABI imagery.

Experts have identified four likely causes for the issue and have recommended a set of ground tests to further isolate the specific root cause. Based on these initial findings, NOAA and NASA are evaluating design modifications for the ABI that would fly on future launched satellites like GOES-T and GOES-U. The team of experts have also pinpointed different operating procedures to improve the availability of the IR channels. This will allow the ABI spectral channels to be available for the majority of the day.

The availability of the imagery will vary during different times of the year. Initial estimates predict that 13 of the 16 channels will be available the full 24 hours during "cool seasons" (near the summer and winter solstice), with the other three channels available for 20 hours. During "warm seasons" (before the vernal and autumnal equinox), they estimate 10 channels will be available for 24 hours, another 3 will be available for 20 hours, and 3 will be available for approximately 12 hours. Through adjustments in operating procedures and software and algorithm changes, experts hope to revise these estimates as we head into the Fall "warm season" for the satellite.

NOAA’s operational geostationary constellation -- GOES-16, operating as GOES-East, GOES-15, operating as GOES-West and GOES-14, operating as the on-orbit spare -- continues to remain healthy and monitoring weather across the nation each day.

July 24, 2018

Top officials from NOAA's Satellite and Information Service and National Weather Service today spoke with media about the status of the GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), the satellite's primary instrument.

The ABI has experienced technical issues with its cooling system during the orbital check-out phase of GOES-17's six instruments -- the other five are performing normally. The cooling system is a significant part of the ABI and did not start up properly.

This fact sheet (PDF) explains more about the loop heat pipe issue.

Click below to hear the audio of the press briefing, which features:

Dr. Steve Volz, director of NOAA's Satellite and Information Service, Pam Sullivan, director of the GOES-R System Program and Joe Pica, director of the Office of Observations for NOAA's National Weather Service.



Click here to listen to the audio from the July 24, 2018 GOES-17 ABI media call.



Members of the news media may contact NESDIS by reaching out to our Public Affairs Officer, John Leslie at:

Email: John.Leslie@noaa.gov

Phone: 301-713-0214

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@NOAASatellitePA

Scientists Investigate GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imager Performance Issue

May 23, 2018

The GOES-R Program is currently addressing a performance issue with the cooling system encountered during commissioning of the GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) instrument. The cooling system is an integral part of the ABI and did not start up properly during the on-orbit checkout.

A team of experts from NOAA, NASA, the ABI contractor team and industry are investigating the issue and pursuing multiple courses of possible corrective actions. The issue affects the infrared and near-infrared channels on the instrument. The visible channels of the ABI are not impacted.

NOAA’s operational geostationary constellation -- GOES-16, operating as GOES-East, GOES-15, operating as GOES-West and GOES-14, operating as the on-orbit spare -- is healthy and monitoring weather across the nation each day, so there is no immediate impact from this performance issue.

If efforts to restore the cooling system are unsuccessful, alternative concepts and modes will be considered to maximize the operational utility of the ABI for NOAA's National Weather Service and other customers. An update will be provided as new information becomes available.

Click here to listen to the audio from the May 23, 2018 media call.

NOAA GOES-17 Shares First Light Imagery from Geostationary Lightning Mapper

May 21, 2018

NOAA GOES-17 satellite has transmitted its first Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) data. This GLM data in this animation shows storms quickly intensifying and forming into an impressive line across the U.S. Plains on May 9, 2018.

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper onboard GOES-17, like the one on board NOAA GOES East, is transmitting data never previously available to forecasters. The mapper observes lightning in the Western Hemisphere, giving forecasters an indication of when a storm is forming, intensifying and becoming more dangerous. Rapid increases of lightning are a signal that a storm may strengthen quickly and could produce severe weather.

During heavy rain, GLM data can show when thunderstorms are stalled or if they are gathering strength. When combined with radar and other satellite data, GLM data will help forecasters anticipate severe weather and issue flood and flash flood warnings sooner.

Also, in large long-lived storm systems, lightning may travel hundreds of miles before striking the ground. GLM can show forecasters areas far from the main line of storms where the risk of lightning strikes to ground presents a public safety hazard. In dry areas, especially in the western United States, information from the instrument will help forecasters, and ultimately firefighters, identify areas prone to wildfires sparked by lightning.

Data from GLM will serve an essential role in helping to keep American lives and property safe when GOES-17 is positioned in its operational GOES West position, where it will cover a vast swath of the data-sparse Pacific Ocean and monitor high-risk wildfire-prone areas in the Western U.S.

NOAA GOES-17 Shares SEISS Instrument 'First Light'

May 15, 2018

The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) instrument on board NOAA's recently launched GOES-17 satellite is successfully sending data back to Earth.

On May 5, SEISS observed Earth's radiation belt (consisting of electrons and protons surrounding the Earth) responding to a geomagnetic storm - these spikes are visible in the data plot below. The source of this storm was first detected by NOAA’s DSCOVR (Deep Space Climate Observatory) satellite on May 5.

DSCOVR observed a high-speed stream of solar wind plasma that had escaped from a coronal hole, a cooler and less dense area of the sun. The high-speed plasma plowed through the slow solar wind ahead of it and 'kicked' the Earth’s magnetosphere, a “bubble” that protects us from solar wind. This 'kick' started a global disturbance in the magnetic field known as a geomagnetic storm.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued two alerts on May 6 in response to the storm--first, a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm warning and then a second alert midday in response to the change in Earth’s radiation belt that was picked up by SEISS. Geomagnetic storms from the sun can impact communications and navigation systems, power grids, and may cause radiation damage to spacecraft.

The GOES-17 SEISS sensors have been collecting data continuously since April 24, 2018. SEISS is better able to detect changes in the radiation belt caused by solar storms than the previous generation of NOAA geostationary satellites. After GOES-17 is commissioned, SEISS will be used by SWPC to issue the radiation belt alerts.

NOAA GOES East Satellite Captures Full Rotation of the Sun!

May 10, 2018

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Did you know the sun ROTATES?! Once every 27.5 days actually. NOAA's GOES East (GOES-16) satellite's SUVI instrument captures this full rotation imagery as it monitors the sun's atmosphere - a million-degree dynamic solar corona.

The sun keeps space weather forecasters on their toes. This short “movie” of the sun’s rotation from March shows why. That’s one-million-degree solar plasma in action! Solar changes have the potential to disrupt power grids, air navigation systems, and satellites, among other impacts. Our friends at NOAA NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information) are sharing their knowledge about the sun’s activity for Space Weather Month throughout May. The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) on #GOESEast, watches the sun constantly and began sending us images like this a year ago. NCEI stewards NOAA’s entire space environmental archive.

Read NCEI’s Space Weather 101: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/what-is-space-weather

Find #GOES data from NCEI: https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/satellite/goes-r.html.

Spider Lightning Looks Terrifying from Space!

April 13, 2018

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When you spend 24/7/365 staring at Earth, you see some strange things. The NOAA GOES East satellite (GOES-16) witnessed a frightening display of stratiform, or ‘spider’ lightning as it’s known, in October 2017 over the central plains in the U.S.

The GOES-R series of satellites (which includes GOES-16 and the recently launched GOES-17) are equipped with the new Geostationary Lightning Mapper - GLM - technology, allowing the satellite to capture imagery of lightning as never seen before. Check out this video to see the prolific spider lightning erupt over multiple states over several hours.

The video above is from a storm system last October that produced extensive stratiform (or spider) lightning behind the main convective line. This lightning connected vast regions of opposite charge within the thunderstorm clouds. These extensive lightning flashes often simultaneously strike the ground in multiple places miles apart. They also are known to trigger upward lightning from tall objects. The imagery in this video was created using snapshots from the satellite taken over the same location every five minutes.

Ground photograph of 'Spider Lightning'

These flashes are called spider lightning due to the pattern they create when they quickly creep and crawl from one cloud to another. These long, horizontally traveling flashes can be seen from Earth below the clouds when they are especially strong and bright. GOES East, along with the recently launched GOES-17 satellite, can ‘see’ the lightning flashes all the way from their orbital position 22,000 miles above the surface of the Earth using the GLM instrument.

The GLM continually looks for lightning flashes in the Western Hemisphere. Along with the ABI instrument, the flash density can help forecasters observe the formation and intensification of storms. Rapid increases of lightning are a signal that a storm is strengthening quickly and could produce severe weather. During heavy rain, GLM data can show when thunderstorms are stalled or if they are gathering strength. When combined with radar and other satellite data from geostationary and polar satellites, GLM data may help forecasters anticipate severe weather and issue flood and flash flood warnings sooner. In dry areas, especially in the western United States, information from the instrument will help forecasters, and ultimately firefighters, identify areas prone to wildfires sparked by lightning.

NOAA GOES East wasn’t the only satellite in our fleet to capture this rare event shown above. The Day Night Band on board the polar orbiting NOAA/NASA Suomi NPP Satellite (*note this event occurred just before our new polar orbiting NOAA-20 satellite launched) was also able to observe lighting during this event. The Day Night Band can detect lightning flashes, which appear as bright streaks atop a nocturnal storm. While the DNB can’t detect how much lightning is happening, depending on the lightning flash rate of a storm, there is a chance that the Day Night Band might capture the in-cloud scattered light. Suomi NPP was able to capture these spider lightning strikes due to their extent and prolonged duration.

And you thought sharks in a tornado was a scary concept! Does looking at these images give you Astra-Arachnophobia?!

So You Launched A Satellite, Now What?

April 9, 2018

On March 1, 2018, at 5:02 PM ET, NOAA’s GOES-S satellite blasted off into space and soon took its place as GOES-17, the nation’s newest satellite in NOAA’s most advanced geostationary series. The Atlas V rocket that launched the satellite propelled it into orbit 22,000 miles above Earth. Although the young satellite has already traveled far from home, its journey to become a vital component of the United States’ weather forecasting operations is only just beginning.



Over the next few months, GOES-17 will undergo checkout and calibration of its instruments and systems. Then it will drift to its operational location at 137 degrees west longitude, where it will capture real-time imagery of the Earth’s Western Hemisphere, from the West Coast of the United States all the way across the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand.

GOES-17 has already completed its first major system checkout - it deployed its solar array approximately three hours after launch, which gave it a power source in space. The solar panels on the satellite recharge the battery-operated power system, enabling the mission team on the ground to control the satellite’s communication abilities and location in space.

Now, the satellite sensors will go through an outgassing process where any chemical residue and water vapor contaminants are released into space before the instruments are activated. Although built in a controlled clean room, even miniscule particles can negatively affect the extremely sensitive satellite sensors. The outgassing process allows one extra ‘cleaning’ before the instruments are turned on.

During the activation phase engineers will check the first data inputs to confirm that they are transmitting as expected, and measuring comparably to current operational satellites, like GOES-16 (GOES East) and GOES-15 (currently GOES West). GOES-17 is equipped with several instruments, including the Advanced Baseline Imager, which will each begin to transmit data back to Earth. Each time we receive initial communication from an instrument, it is referred to as ‘first light.’

The engineers also test the satellite by directing it to perform a series of maneuvers, including rolls (side-to-side movements), yaws (twisting the spacecraft left and right) and pitches (backflips of 180 degrees). These maneuvers give the satellite's engineers and operators a better understanding of the interactions between the instruments and the spacecraft, and how various aspects of the space environment like light and temperature are affecting the sensors.

The final testing phase for GOES-17 will be a detailed inspection and validation of data quality. When GOES-16 underwent this phase, NOAA deployed a team of instrument scientists, ground-based sensors, meteorologists, engineers, drones, and specialized pilots able to fly at high altitudes. They each collected data to compare and calibrate the information being received from the satellite. Now, GOES-16 is an ideal partner satellite to help calibrate GOES-17 data. NOAA’s mission is to ensure that data from our satellites is precise, accurate, and readily available in real time.

Late this year, once these checkouts are complete, GOES-17 will replace GOES-15 as the operational GOES West satellite. Providing faster, more accurate data to the National Weather Service and the public in high definition, GOES-17 will be a game changer to weather forecasting in the western U.S. Millions of people in the United States and around the globe will rely on this satellite for accurate, advanced weather information.

Follow along on the satellite’s journey on Twitter (@NOAASatellites) to be part of this significant advancement toward a more Weather-Ready nation.

NOAA GOES-17 Sends 'First Light' Image to Earth

April 3, 2018

We have received the 'first-light' from our recently launched NOAA GOES-17 satellite! On March 22, 2018, the GOES-17 Magnetometer (MAG) became the first instrument on the satellite to begin transmitting data. The Magnetometers on the GOES-R series of satellites (including GOES-16, currently GOES East, and now GOES-17), can observe more wave frequencies, at five times higher resolution, allowing us to conduct new research into space weather. The space weather products from the magnetometer data can help scientists better forecast the likelihood that elevated levels of dangerous energetic particles will occur during events like solar flares.

The figure above shows data from the outboard Magnetometer instrument on board the GOES-17 satellite. The data has been filtered to highlight a space weather phenomenon known as plasma waves. These waves play significant roles in controlling the levels of dangerous energetic particles that cause damage to satellites and harm astronauts. An important characteristic of these waves is their frequency, or how fast they oscillate up and down (shown in the bottom panel of the figure).

When the waves interact with the particles, some types of waves oscillate in a way that accelerate particles to dangerous radiation levels while other types oscillate at frequencies that can scatter the particles and decrease the threat they pose. Forecasting the level of energetic particles is complicated by the fact that both types of waves occur during space weather events. The Magnetometers on the GOES-R series of satellites, with five times higher resolution, expands the wave frequencies observed from both types of waves allowing us to undertake research into new space weather products that help forecasters better forecast the likelihood that elevated levels of dangerous energetic particles will occur during space weather events.

NOAA GOES East Satellite Captures the First Images from Space of Gigantic Jet Lightning

March 23, 2018

The image above shows a comparison in the optical energy from GLM and the camera on the ground.

NOAA GOES East (GOES-16) satellite's Geostationary Lightning Mapper has captured the first images from space of 'gigantic jet' lightning - electrical discharges from a thunderstorm that come out the TOP of the storm and reach as high as the ionosphere (that's 50 miles up)

Thunderstorms can produce electrical discharges that come out the top of the storm and reach the ionosphere (80 km altitude). These are known as gigantic jets. Jets have predominantly been recorded by cameras on the ground. However, new research using the GOES-16 Geostationary Lightning Mapper has identified gigantic jets from space that were produced by Tropical Storm Harvey as it passed Puerto Rico. This research can lead to a better understanding of these spectacular discharges and determine when and where they take place.

Ground-based video credit:

Frankie Lucena, Research credit: Levi Boggs, Florida Tech

The chart above shows 5 frames of the gigantic lightning jet - electrical discharges from a thunderstorm that come out the TOP of the storm and reach as high as the ionosphere (that's 50 miles up)



NOAA GOES-S Satellite, now GOES-17!

March 12, 2018

The image shows the GOES West operational location coverage map

Today is a big day for the GOES-S satellite. It has reached geostationary orbit (22,300 miles out in space) and has now officially received a new name...GOES-17! The satellite will be called GOES-17 for the remainder of its lifespan. GOES satellites are designated with a letter prior to launch and a number once they achieve geostationary orbit.

After a checkout of all of the instruments and systems, GOES-17 will drift to its operational position, and become NOAA’s GOES West satellite in late 2018.

We have liftoff! Watch the launch of GOES-S

March 1, 2018

NOAA’s GOES-S, the second in a new series of four highly advanced geostationary weather satellites, blasted into orbit at 5:02 p.m. EST today from Cape Canaveral, Florida. GOES-S mission managers confirmed that its solar arrays successfully deployed at 8:58 pm and the spacecraft was operating on its own power.

Read more

NOAA GOES-S (GOES-17) High Definition GOES West!

March 1, 2018

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How to Launch a Rocket

February 28, 2018

NOAA GOES-S will travel to space aboard a ULA Atlas V 541 expendable launch vehicle, or rocket. The “541” refers to the configuration of the rocket: payload fairing, or nose cone, that covers the satellite is approximately 5 meters in diameter; the four solid rocket boosters that generate extra thrust off the launch pad; and a single engine on the Centaur upper stage. Fully fueled, GOES-S’s Atlas V 541 rocket weighs more than 1 million pounds and is approximately 197 feet tall.

GOES-S and its Atlas V rocket will begin its journey to space when the booster engine and solid rocket boosters ignite and the rocket blasts off. Just under 2 minutes after leaving the launch pad, the rocket’s four solid rocket boosters will complete their burns and be jettisoned while the Atlas booster continues to burn. Approximately 90 seconds later, the payload fairing halves separate and fall back, no longer needed after leaving Earth’s atmosphere. About a minute later, the booster engine will shut down, known as booster engine cutoff (BECO), and the booster and Centaur upper stage separate. With the upper stage now flying free, the main engine will start its first burn. This burn will last for nearly eight minutes before the first main engine cutoff (MECO-1).

After a total of three burns of the Centaur upper stage engine, GOES-S will separate from the upper stage and fly alone in space for the first time! This will occur roughly three and a half hours after liftoff. In the days that follow, GOES-S will perform several instrument deployments and a series of maneuvers to bring the satellite into geostationary orbit. This is scheduled to occur 17 days after launch. Once NOAA GOES-S, now GOES-17, is placed in geostationary orbit, it will undergo a period of checkout and validation, moving to the GOES West operational position in late 2018.

GOES-S To Map Lightning in the West

February 26, 2018

NOAA GOES-S will not only image the Earth as it sees it in true color, it also will be able to detect and monitor weather phenomena as they develop in real time - like lightning. The first lightning detector in a geostationary orbit, the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) currently onboard NOAA GOES East, is transmitting data never before available to forecasters. The mapper continuously looks for lightning flashes in the Western Hemisphere, so forecasters know when a storm is forming, intensifying and becoming more dangerous. Rapid increases of lightning are a signal that a storm is strengthening quickly and could produce severe weather.

During heavy rain, GLM data will show when thunderstorms are stalled or if they are gathering strength. When combined with radar and other satellite data, GLM data will help forecasters anticipate severe weather and issue flood and flash flood warnings sooner. Also, in large long-lived storm systems, lightning may travel hundreds of miles before striking the ground. The GLM can show forecasters areas far from the main line of storms where the risk of lightning strikes to ground presents a public safety hazard. In dry areas, especially in the western United States, information from the instrument will help forecasters, and ultimately firefighters, identify areas prone to wildfires sparked by lightning.

Data from the instrument is also used to produce a long-term database to track decadal changes in lightning activity. This is important due to lightning’s role in maintaining the electrical balance between Earth and its atmosphere and potential changes in extreme weather and severe storms under a changing climate.

GOES Images Earth

February 23, 2018

The Advanced Baseline Imager is the primary instrument on the GOES-R Series for imaging Earth’s weather, oceans and environment. ABI views the Earth with 16 different spectral bands (compared to five on the previous generation of GOES), including two visible channels, four near-infrared channels, and ten infrared channels.

It provides three times more spectral information, four times the spatial resolution, and more than five times faster temporal coverage than the previous system.

ABI is a multi-channel passive imaging radiometer that observes the Western Hemisphere and provides variable area imagery and radiometric information of Earth’s surface, atmosphere and cloud cover. ABI is used for a wide range of applications related to severe weather, hurricanes, aviation, natural hazards, the atmosphere, oceans and cryosphere.

ABI can multitask. The default scan mode concurrently takes a full disk (Western Hemisphere) image every 15 minutes, an image of the Continental U.S. every five minutes, and two smaller, more detailed images of areas where storm activity is present, every 60 seconds (or one every 30 seconds). Alternatively, ABI can operate in full disk mode, continuously imaging the full disk every five minutes.

ABI tracks and monitors cloud formation, atmospheric motion, convective development, land and sea surface temperatures, ocean dynamics, flow of water, fire, smoke, volcanic ash, aerosols and air quality, and vegetative health. Data from the ABI helps meteorologists pinpoint and track an area of developing storms in much greater detail than ever before. Knowing how rapidly storm clouds are forming leads to earlier warnings. Better data quality and faster scan speed contributes to fewer weather-related flight delays as well as earlier preparation for tropical storms and hurricanes. ABI data is also very useful for providing real-time imagery during radar outages or in areas where radar coverage is sparse.

By delivering a better and larger suite of weather, climate and environmental products, ABI has ushered in a new era in weather forecasting, benefitting public safety, protection of life and property, and our nation’s economic health and prosperity.

GOES and the Western Frontier

February 21, 2018

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Working in concert with the recently launched GOES-16, the two new geostationary weather satellites will provide constant watch over the United States and the Western Hemisphere, helping monitor severe storms, wildfires, and daily weather patterns.

GOES-S will provide better data coverage over the northeastern Pacific, where many weather systems that affect the western U.S. originate. Greater coverage means that GOES-S will be in an ideal location to monitor weather hazards unique to the western U.S.

These include wildfires, coastal fog, and atmospheric river events, when storms from the Pacific dump heavy rain and snow over the western U.S. Better monitoring of these heavy precipitation events will lead to timelier warnings to the public about hazards such as flooding and mudslides.

While GOES East and West keep watch over the Western Hemisphere, their foreign counterparts on the other side of the world image the Eastern Hemisphere. These satellites make up a core geostationary satellite team that provides accurate real-time data to NOAA and the United States.

Learn more about our international satellite partners here: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/international-partners-sky-satellite-partnerships

Five Reasons GOES-S will be a Game-Changer for Weather Forecasts in the Western U.S.

February 20, 2018

Excitement is building for the launch of GOES-S. On March 1, 2018, NOAA’s newest geostationary satellite will launch into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida. GOES-S (which will become GOES-17 once it reaches its final orbit) will significantly enhance weather forecasting capabilities across the western United States, Alaska, and Hawaii and provide critical data and imagery of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean extending all the way to New Zealand. Here are five reasons why GOES-S will be such a game-changer for weather forecasts from California to Alaska and beyond.

This graphic shows coverage of the Western Hemisphere by GOES-East and GOES-West. (NOAA) 1. Better, faster data means more reliable forecasts You may not realize it when you check your favorite weather website or smartphone app for a forecast in, say, San Francisco or Las Vegas, but weather forecasts in the western U.S. are overdue for an upgrade. A reliable forecast - whether it’s for sunny skies, or a serious hazard such as flash floods or tropical cyclones - requires accurate and timely data, and that’s where weather satellites like GOES-S come into play. Our ability to see weather forming over the Pacific Ocean has been hampered by a lack of high-quality data. Data coverage is sparse over the northeastern Pacific, where many weather systems that affect the continental U.S. are born. The improved technology aboard GOES-S will provide valuable new data about upper level wind conditions. This data then gets fed into computer models used by forecasters at the National Weather Service. Like GOES-16 (now NOAA’s GOES East satellite), GOES-S will collect three times more data at four times better resolution, and scan the Earth five times faster than previous geostationary satellites over western North America, providing far more information to the models used to make those five-day forecasts we’re so familiar with. 2. Tracking Wildfires GOES-16 GeoColor and fire temperature RGB (red-green-blue) imagery of the

wildfires raging in California on October 9, 2017. (Credit: CIRA) The arid climate of the western United States makes the region especially vulnerable to wildfires. In 2017, several catastrophic wildfires in California burned more than one million acres of land across the state. Thanks to high-resolution imagery from GOES-16, including red-green-blue thermal infrared imagery used to detect fire hot spots, forecasters at the National Weather Service were able to locate fires more quickly, and coordinate warnings with local emergency managers that helped save lives. In some cases, satellite imagery helped detect fires before 911 calls began to come in. GOES-S will provide a “second set of eyes” over the western U.S., and provide new wildfire monitoring capabilities where it is currently lacking, especially in Alaska. 3. Monitoring ‘Atmospheric Rivers’ and Pacific Tropical Cyclones If you live on the West Coast, you may have heard the term “atmospheric river” or the “pineapple express.” Like rivers in the sky, these narrow conveyor belts of moisture transport huge amounts of water vapor from the subtropics to the west coast of the continental U.S. Strong atmospheric rivers can deliver enormous amounts of rain and high-elevation snow in California and the Pacific Northwest, especially during the winter months. GOES-16 imagery of Hurricane Harvey making landfall in Texas on

August 25, 2017. (NOAA) Like GOES-16, which provided groundbreaking new data and imagery during the severe 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, GOES-S will bring this same new technology to the Pacific Ocean. This means forecasters will have new high-resolution imagery of atmospheric rivers, as well as Pacific hurricanes that track toward Hawaii or Mexico during the summer and autumn. GOES-S will be equipped with an infrared channel that helps forecasters monitor cloud top temperatures, which are used to predict rainfall intensity and the potential for flash flooding or thunderstorms. The Advanced Baseline Imager on GOES-S will have three water vapor bands, two more than GOES-15, NOAA’s current geostationary satellite over the Pacific. These additional channels will provide high resolution imagery of atmospheric water vapor, allowing forecasters to track the movement of major storms and pinpoint areas that will receive the heaviest precipitation. GOES-S will also have the capability of collecting one-minute imagery over tropical cyclones, which can help forecasters better locate a storm’s center of circulation. In addition, the satellite’s Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) will provide forecasters with near real-time data on a storm’s lightning activity, helping them identify the most convectively active portions of the storm. 4. Fog Detection (NOAA) You don’t have to live on the West Coast to know that coastal fog is a hallmark weather event in places like San Francisco and parts of the Pacific Northwest. Not only will GOES-S provide high-resolution, real-time imagery of fog conditions, but the satellite’s rapid scanning capabilities will also help forecasters predict when fog will clear. If you’re a frequent flyer, you’ve probably run into a few travel headaches because fog or low stratus clouds grounded your flight. Luckily, NOAA’s GOES satellites can help mitigate flight delays. In March 2017, data and imagery from GOES-16 helped air traffic controllers at San Francisco International Airport lift a ground delay due to fog. Forecasters were able to use the satellite’s high-resolution imagery to predict when the fog would start to erode, a decision that freed up 32 flights, prevented more than 20 hours of flight delays, and saved the airlines nearly $100,000. Fog monitoring from GOES-S will also improve forecasts used by the maritime sector, such the fishing and commercial shipping industries. 5. Special mention: A major upgrade for Alaska Current geostationary satellite coverage of Alaska, such as this recent GOES-15

visible imagery, will be replaced by high-resolution imagery in 16 different

channels. (NOAA) GOES-S will boost weather prediction all across the western U.S., but the new satellite will be especially valuable to Alaska. That’s because NOAA’s current geostationary satellites lack sufficient resolution in regions near the Arctic. GOES-S, however, will provide a significantly clearer view of the Last Frontier - all the way to Alaska’s North Slope, and allow for applications such as tracking sea ice. This vast new coverage will revolutionize forecasting in Alaska. For example, thanks to combinable image channels on GOES-S (known as “multispectral imagery”), forecasters will be able to distinguish between clouds, snow-covered ground, and sea ice around Alaska’s coasts. This will improve aviation and shipping forecasts, since current GOES visible satellite imagery can’t easily differentiate clouds and snow - a particular challenge during Alaska’s long, dark winter months. Alaska’s Pavlof Volcano erupting on March 16, 2016.

(Image credit: Nahshon Almandmoss/U.S. Coast Guard) Like its sister satellite, GOES-16, GOES-S will be able to detect hazards often experienced in Alaska, such as wildfires and volcanic ash. Monitoring wildfires using satellite data and imagery will save property and lives, while volcanic ash detection will make air travel significantly safer in a state where flying is the only mode of transport in many remote areas. Want to know more about GOES-S? Stay tuned for the latest launch updates here.

NOAA’s GOES-S to boost weather forecast accuracy for western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii

More detailed observations will improve marine, aviation forecasts and wildfire detection

February 1, 2018

NOAA is one month away from launching GOES-S, its newest geostationary weather satellite that will begin providing faster, more accurate data to track storm systems, lightning, wildfires, dense fog, and other hazards that threaten the western U.S., Hawaii, and Alaska.



“The GOES-S satellite will join GOES-16 and NOAA-20 as NOAA continues to upgrade its satellite fleet,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The latest GOES addition will provide further insight and unrivaled accuracy into severe weather systems and wildfires in the western United States.”

In tandem with GOES-16, the first satellite in NOAA’s new geostationary series and now in the GOES-East position, the two satellites will observe most of the Western Hemisphere, from the west coast of Africa to New Zealand. This includes the northeastern Pacific, the birthplace of many weather systems that affect the continental U.S., and where there is comparatively little data. When it’s operational later this year, GOES-S will take up the GOES-West position.



And like GOES-16, GOES-S will scan the Earth five times faster at four times the image resolution, with triple the number of channels than previous GOES for more accurate, reliable forecasts and severe weather outlooks.



“We expect GOES-S to be the perfect partner to its sister satellite, GOES-16, whose early returns have surpassed our expectations,” said RDML Tim Gallaudet, Ph.D., USN Ret., Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. “The revolutionary technology on these satellites, coupled with the skill of NOAA forecasters, will lead ultimately to more lives saved.”



“GOES-S will provide high resolution imagery of the western U.S. and eastern Pacific Ocean completing our satellite coverage to further improve weather forecasts across the entire country,” said Louis W. Uccellini, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Weather Service.



In addition to improving weather forecasts, GOES-S will help forecasters identify wildfire hotspots shortly after they begin, and to see rapid intensification - invaluable information that emergency teams need to fight fires and evacuate people in harm’s way. The satellite will also help forecasters better track and predict the formation and dissipation of fog, which can disrupt airport operations.



“We’ll soon see the value of having two sophisticated geostationary satellites in operation, not only in the amount of lives saved through more accurate forecasts, but in cost savings throughout the economy,” said Stephen Volz, Ph.D., director, NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service. “With GOES-S and GOES-16, we are able to cover about half the planet with the most sophisticated weather forecast technology ever flown in space.”



The GOES-R Series satellites are designed for 10 years of on-orbit operation, followed by up to five years of on-orbit storage. There are four satellites in the GOES-R series: -R, -S, -T and -U, which will extend satellite coverage through 2036.



NOAA manages the GOES-R Series Program through an integrated NOAA-NASA office, with personnel from both agencies. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center oversees the acquisition of the GOES-R spacecraft and instruments. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the design, creation, and testing the GOES-R Series satellites and for spacecraft launch processing. Harris Corp. provides the main instrument payload, the Advanced Baseline Imager, along with the ground system, which includes the antenna system for data reception.



The launch, scheduled for March 1 at 5:02 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral, Florida, will be shown on NASA-TV.

EDITORS: B-roll available at https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/goes-r-series-media-b-roll

NASA Invites Media to Upcoming NOAA GOES-S Satellite Launch

January 29, 2018

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S). This illustration depicts NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S), which is scheduled to launch March 1 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA oversees the acquisition of the spacecraft, instruments and launch vehicles for the GOES-R Series program.

Credits: Lockheed Martin

Media accreditation is open for the launch Thursday, March 1, of the second in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) series of next-generation geostationary weather satellites.

NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) is scheduled to launch at 5:02 p.m. EST on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. GOES-S is the second in the GOES-R Series of weather satellites that includes GOES-R (now GOES-16), -S, -T and -U.

Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at CCAFS and NASA’s neighboring Kennedy Space Center. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, for access to Kennedy media activities only. U.S. media must apply by 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19. All media accreditation requests should be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/

For questions about accreditation, please email ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, or additional information, contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468.

GOES-S will be renamed GOES-17 when it reaches geostationary orbit. Once the satellite is declared operational late this year, it will occupy NOAA’s GOES-West position and provide faster, more accurate data for tracking wildfires, tropical cyclones, fog and other storm systems and hazards that threaten the western United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Central America and part of South America.

NOAA manages the GOES-R Series program through an integrated NOAA/NASA office and oversees the acquisition of the program ground system. NASA oversees the acquisition of the spacecraft, instruments and launch vehicles. Lockheed Martin Space of Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft and is responsible for spacecraft development, integration and testing.

Mission operations will be performed by NOAA at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland. Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Florida, provided the main instrument payload, the Advanced Baseline Imager, and the ground system, which includes the antenna system for data receipt. NASA’s Launch Services Program is responsible for launch management. United Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colorado, is the provider of the Atlas V launch service.

Media Contact:

John Leslie

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington

301-713-0214

john.leslie@noaa.gov

Steve Cole

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-0918

stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov

Tori McLendon

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

321-867-2468

tori.n.mclendon@nasa.gov