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| GOES-11 | |
|---|---|
| Name | GOES-11 |
| Mission type | Weather satellite |
| Operator | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Cospar id | 2000-060A |
| Satcat | 26537 |
| Mission duration | ~15 years (operational lifespan) |
| Manufacturer | Space Systems/Loral |
| Launch mass | 2100 kg |
| Launch date | 2000-12-03 |
| Launch rocket | Atlas IIAS |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 36 |
| Orbit reference | Geostationary |
| Orbit longitude | 136° West (primary) |
| Instruments | Imager (GOES); Sounder (GOES); Space Environment Monitor |
GOES-11 GOES-11 was an American geostationary weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It provided continuous meteorological observations for the United States, Pacific Ocean region, and adjacent portions of the Western Hemisphere. GOES-11 supported services including weather forecasting, storm tracking, and space weather monitoring, contributing to agencies such as the National Hurricane Center and the Space Weather Prediction Center.
GOES-11 was part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite series developed under programs involving NOAA, NASA, and industrial partners like Space Systems/Loral and contractors tied to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The mission followed predecessors in the GOES program such as units managed during the Cold War era and operated alongside contemporaries that served the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean observation responsibilities. Primary mission objectives included visible and infrared imaging for the National Weather Service, sounding for vertical atmospheric profiling used by National Centers for Environmental Prediction, and space environment monitoring for the Federal Aviation Administration and military commands like United States Pacific Command.
The spacecraft bus was built by Space Systems/Loral using designs influenced by earlier platforms used by agencies including Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and civil programs like Landsat. Key instruments included the GOES Imager and GOES Sounder, successors to sensors fielded on earlier missions operated from Wallops Flight Facility testbeds and influenced by technologies used on NOAA-17 and MetOp series. The Imager provided multispectral visible and infrared detection supporting offices in NOAA and the National Hurricane Center, while the Sounder produced vertical temperature and moisture profiles valuable to European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts modeling comparisons and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction assimilation systems. A Space Environment Monitor suite traced solar particle events relevant to NOAA alerts and United States Geological Survey interests in geomagnetic impacts. Power, propulsion, and communications subsystems were derived from designs proven on satellites funded by the National Science Foundation and implemented in collaboration with contractors known to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
GOES-11 launched on an Atlas IIAS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station into geostationary transfer orbit, following a trajectory planned in coordination with United States Space Command tracking and supported by ground stations such as those operated by NOAA and NASA at Wallops Flight Facility and the White Sands Complex. Early on-orbit checkout included instrument calibration against references used by agencies including the World Meteorological Organization and comparisons with polar-orbiting platforms like NOAA-15 and NASA research satellites. Commissioning activities coordinated with offices like the National Weather Service to assume operational responsibilities at an orbital slot over the Pacific Ocean.
During its service GOES-11 provided continuous meteorological imagery, sounding, and space weather data to customers such as the National Hurricane Center, National Ocean Service, and aviation authorities including the Federal Aviation Administration. Data from GOES-11 were ingested by forecast centers including the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and global centers like the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts for model initialization and intercomparison. GOES-11 supported storm warnings issued by regional entities including California Department of Water Resources and emergency managers in Pacific territories, while space environment products informed operations at facilities such as the Arecibo Observatory and satellite operators including Intelsat. Interactions occurred with research programs at institutions like NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and university centers such as Texas A&M University meteorology departments.
After years of service, mission managers coordinated decommissioning activities consistent with guidelines from entities such as United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and national debris mitigation policies influenced by Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee recommendations. Fuel depletion and aging hardware required moving the satellite to a higher graveyard orbit following procedures practiced by teams at NOAA and NASA for previous satellites. Decommissioning steps involved passivation of batteries and propellant systems with oversight from the Federal Communications Commission for spectrum management and coordination with United States Space Force tracking assets to reduce conjunction risk.
GOES-11 contributed to advancements in operational meteorology and influenced successor programs such as later GOES-R series missions developed with partnerships involving Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and agencies like NOAA and NASA. Its datasets enriched climatological archives used by centers including the National Climatic Data Center and supported research at institutions like University of Oklahoma and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. The mission reinforced collaborations between federal centers, regional forecast offices such as those coordinated by the National Weather Service, academic researchers, and international bodies including the World Meteorological Organization.
During its operational life, GOES-11 experienced routine anomalies similar to those encountered by geostationary platforms managed by NOAA and discussed in reviews involving NASA, including instrument degradation and occasional attitude-control events referenced in agency anomaly reports. Responses involved troubleshooting and recovery procedures developed jointly by NOAA engineers, contractor teams at Space Systems/Loral, and operations centers historically informed by lessons from missions like GOES-8 and GOES-10. These efforts minimized data outages for users including the National Hurricane Center and regional emergency management agencies.
Category:Geostationary satellites Category:Weather satellites Category:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites