MARCH 14, 2022 - NOAA Satellites has confirmed that after a successful launch of the GOES-T satellite on March 1st, GOES-T has now reached geostationary orbit and is now named GOES-18! [embed]https://twitter.com/NOAASatellites/status/1503437309131120640[/embed] The launch of the satellite took place just 2 weeks ago on March 1st, 2022. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1498775077692882950   The GOES-T (GOES-18) is the third in a weather monitoring system, in addition to the current GOES-R (GOES-16) and GOES-S (GOES-17) satellites currently in orbit. https://twitter.com/NOAASatellitePA/status/1498780236279857155 The satellite will provide critical data for the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean.

Goal of the Satellite

NOAA’s GOES-18 is the third satellite in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) – R Series, the Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather observing and environmental monitoring system. The GOES-R Series currently provides advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and space weather monitoring. NOAA plans to immediately allow GOES-18 to become the main operational service and take the place of GOES-17. The current GOES West - aka GOES-17 - will become an on-orbit spare.

Satellite Position

GOES-18 will work in tandem with GOES-16, now serving as GOES East.  Together, these satellites will watch over more than half the globe – from New Zealand to the west coast of Africa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lOUkJzhfXM

The Satellites Monitor Weather on Earth and in Space

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is the primary instrument on the GOES-R Series for imaging Earth’s weather, oceans, and environment. ABI is used for a wide range of applications related to severe weather, hurricanes, aviation, natural hazards, the atmosphere, oceans, and cryosphere. ABI scans Earth five times faster with four times the resolution and three times the number of channels than previous GOES for more accurate and reliable forecasts and severe weather warnings. GOES-R satellites carry the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), the first instrument of its kind flown in geostationary orbit. Developing severe storms often exhibit a significant increase in lightning activity and GLM data can help forecasters focus on initial thunderstorm development and intensifying severe storms before they produce damaging winds, hail or even tornadoes. GOES-R satellites also host a suite of instruments that detect and monitor approaching space weather hazards. The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) and Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) provide imaging of the sun and detection of solar flares. The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) and Magnetometer monitor, respectively, energetic particles and the magnetic field variations that are associated with space weather. Together, observations from these instruments contribute to space weather forecasts and early warning of disruptions to power utilities and communication and navigation systems as well as radiation damage to orbiting satellites. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O9L5k2NgV0

Why Launch a New Satellite?

There needed to be modifications to two instruments within the GOES-S (GOES-17) satellite. Otherwise, GOES-T (GOES-18) will provide the same observations as GOES-R (GOES-16) and GOES-S (GOES-17). In 2018, during post-launch testing of the GOES-17 ABI, scientists discovered an issue with the instrument’s cooling system. The loop heat pipe subsystem, which transfers heat from the ABI electronics to the radiator, is not operating as designed. As a result, the ABI detectors can’t be maintained at their intended temperatures under specific orbital conditions, leading to a partial loss of infrared imagery at certain times. An investigation found the most likely cause of the thermal performance issue to be foreign object debris blocking the flow of the coolant in the loop heat pipes. As a result, changes to the design of the ABI radiator and loop heat pipes for GOES-T were implemented to decrease the chance of future cooling system malfunctions. The new design utilizes a simpler hardware configuration, which eliminates the filters that are susceptible to debris. GOES-18 also carries an upgraded magnetometer instrument. The new magnetometer is expected to provide improved performance for measuring magnetic field variations.

Benefits

• Fire detection, monitoring, and intensity estimation
• Detection of low clouds and fog
• Hurricane track and intensity forecasts
• Monitoring of atmospheric river events than can cause flooding and mudslides
• Monitoring of smoke and dust
• Data for air quality warnings and alerts
• Detection of volcanic eruptions and monitoring of ash and sulfur dioxide
• Sea surface temperature data for monitoring fisheries and marine life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2V2U9eV7QE https://twitter.com/NOAASatellites/status/1494390224343822336

All information was provided and retrieved from NOAA and NASA.