GOES-16

GOES-16 is a geostationary weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and built by Lockheed Martin. The satellite is part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series, which provides critical weather forecasting and storm tracking capabilities for the United States, Mexico, and Canada. GOES-16 is also known as GOES-R before its launch, and it has significantly improved the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts, particularly for hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards, in partnership with the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Overview

The GOES-16 satellite is designed to provide advanced imaging and sounding capabilities, allowing for more accurate and detailed observations of the Earth's atmosphere and ocean surface. The satellite's advanced sensors can detect clouds, precipitation, and lightning, and can also monitor sea surface temperature and ocean currents, in collaboration with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). GOES-16 works in tandem with other weather satellites, such as GOES-17, Himawari 8, and Meteosat, to provide a comprehensive view of the Earth's weather patterns, including El Niño and La Niña events, which are monitored by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI).

Spacecraft Design

The GOES-16 spacecraft is based on the A2100 satellite bus, which is a modular and flexible design developed by Lockheed Martin. The satellite has a mass of approximately 5,192 kilograms (11,445 pounds) and is equipped with two solar arrays that provide power to the spacecraft, in partnership with the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The spacecraft also has a propulsion system that allows it to maintain its position in geostationary orbit and perform station-keeping maneuvers, with support from the United States Air Force Space Command and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Launch and Orbit

GOES-16 was launched on November 19, 2016, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Atlas V rocket, which is operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA). The satellite was placed into a geostationary transfer orbit and then used its propulsion system to reach its final orbit at an altitude of approximately 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles) above the Equator, in collaboration with the NASA Kennedy Space Center and the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC). GOES-16 is positioned at a longitude of 75.2° W, which allows it to provide coverage of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Instruments and Capabilities

GOES-16 is equipped with several advanced instruments, including the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), which provides high-resolution imaging of the Earth's atmosphere and ocean surface, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS). The satellite also carries the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), which can detect lightning flashes and provide early warnings for severe thunderstorms, in partnership with the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) and the Lightning Mapping Array (LMA). Additionally, GOES-16 has a Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) that monitors space weather and provides warnings for solar flares and coronal mass ejections, in collaboration with the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

Operational History

GOES-16 became operational on December 18, 2017, and has since provided critical weather forecasting and storm tracking capabilities for the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The satellite has played a key role in monitoring hurricanes, such as Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, and has also provided critical data for winter storms and tornado outbreaks, in partnership with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). GOES-16 has also been used to monitor wildfires and provide data for air quality forecasting, in collaboration with the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The satellite is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is expected to remain in operation until the mid-2030s, with support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). Category:Weather satellites