GOES-S Launches Soon

news image
Special Stories
13 Feb 2018 10:29 AM
We're quickly approaching another milestone in Earth Observation satellite deployment, as we get ready for the launch of GOES-S, the next major addition to the NOAA satellite fleet. Once it's operational, this bird will become GOES-17, the new GOES-West satellite and will overlap it's view of Earth with GOES-East to cover the Western Hemisphere. https://youtu.be/8Q9f1ktzilc   On November 19th, 2016, the night sky over Cape Canaveral was ripped open by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying the first of the next generation of NOAA weather satellite, GOES-R into space. Just a little more than a year later, after calibrations, testing, and a move to its permanent location, the newly designated GOES-16 became our new GOES-East satellite, on December 18th last year. The entire GOES-R series of four identical satellites, GOES-R, S, T and U. Are equipped with Advanced Baseline Imagers,  designed to scan the western hemisphere five times faster, with four times the image resolution and three times the color channels of our older legacy systems. That means much faster, extremely more accurate observations of severe storms, tropical systems, smoke and volcanic ash. As a matter of fact, last year, months before officially operational, the ABI on GOES-16 helped National Weather Service offices detect wildfires in Kansas and Oklahoma, well before the first 911 calls came in! During severe weather, another incredible GOES instrument, the Geostationary Lightning Mapper, can shoot 500 images per second, as it tracks cloud to ground strikes, and lightning activity in the the clouds that charge the atmosphere. New research indicates that increased lightning activity may be a predictor for tornado formation, so with the GLM, forecasters have another powerful tool to help warn us earlier than ever before. Once operational as GOES-WEST, GOES-S will be followed to orbit next year by GOES-T and in 2024 by GOES-U, keeping this lifesaving satellite series operational through 2036. Join John Van Pelt and Meredith Garofalo as we cover the exciting GOES-S launch live from Cape Canaveral next month, waiting to hear these words...GO GOES-S!
All Weather News
More
Fronts Continue To Spark Severe Weather Across the Plains

Fronts Continue To Spark Severe Weather Across the Plains

A cold front that brought record lows to the

18 Jul 2025 10:40 PM
Extreme Heat Impacts for the East Coast & South

Extreme Heat Impacts for the East Coast & South

Extreme heat continues to impact several area

18 Jul 2025 10:05 PM
Flooding Threat Remains Elevated in the East

Flooding Threat Remains Elevated in the East

A cold front pushing through the Eastern Seab

18 Jul 2025 9:10 PM
EF-2 Firenado from the Deer Creek Fire in Utah

EF-2 Firenado from the Deer Creek Fire in Utah

A fire tornado was spotted near La Sal, Utah

18 Jul 2025 7:30 AM
Tropical System Brings Flood Risk to the Central Gulf

Tropical System Brings Flood Risk to the Central Gulf

Time has run out for notable tropical develop

18 Jul 2025 3:05 AM
Heavy Rain, Flooding Threat Returns to Florida

Heavy Rain, Flooding Threat Returns to Florida

Keep the rain boots handy in Florida - heavy

13 Jul 2025 12:50 PM
Severe Storm Risk Pushes into the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley

Severe Storm Risk Pushes into the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley

Friday was another busy day with severe weath

12 Jul 2025 8:00 PM