NOAA's newest satellite will complete the
GOES-R series and provide critical weather and climate
data
KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER, Fla., June 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An advanced weather
satellite built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched today from
NASA's Kennedy Space Center at
5:26 p.m. ET. Lifted to space aboard
a Space X Falcon Heavy rocket, the GOES-U satellite successfully
deployed its large solar array to generate electrical power and has
established communications with mission operators.
GOES-U is the final satellite in NOAA's Geostationary
Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) - R series of four
satellites. After it reaches geostationary orbit, approximately two
weeks after launch, GOES-U will be renamed GOES-19. Once in
operations over the East Coast of North
America, the satellite be known as GOES East, and will
provide advanced weather imagery, atmospheric measurements and
real-time mapping of lightning activity, in addition to critical
space weather observations.
"The launch of GOES-U is the culmination of more than 16 years
of designing, building and launching four important weather
satellites for our nation," said Jagdeep
Shergill, GOES-U program manager and director of Geo Weather
Programs at Lockheed Martin. "Since the launch of the first GOES-R
satellite, our nation has had more accurate weather forecasts and
more timely severe storm warnings, and this critical service has
positively affected everyone in the U.S."
NOAA's GOES-R satellites, and soon GOES-U, provide crucial data
for weather forecasting, severe storm tracking and climate
monitoring. With their advanced instruments and rapid updates, they
improve detection of atmospheric phenomena like hurricanes,
wildfires and lighting. This real-time data aids the National
Weather Service and meteorologist in early warnings, disaster
preparedness and resource management, ultimately saving lives and
mitigating economic losses.
The GOES-U spacecraft features two high-tech instruments built
by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center in Palo
Alto, California:
- Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), which is a
first-of-its-kind operational lightning mapper that tracks
lightning across the U.S. in real-time. GLM allows
meteorologists to quickly identify intensifying storms and take
appropriate action. In 2020, GLM captured a lightning
megaflash nearly 500 miles long that broke the world record
for longest lightning flash.
- Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI), focuses on space weather and
measures the sun in extreme ultraviolet wavelength range. SUVI is
essential to understanding active areas on the sun and predicting
solar events that may disrupt power utilities, communication or
navigation systems here on Earth.
GOES-U is the final satellite of the GOES-R series which will
provide critical weather and climate date into the 2030s. Following
GOES-U, Lockheed Martin was selected by NASA to develop the
nation's next generation weather satellite constellation,
Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO), for NOAA. GeoXO's new
capabilities will deliver more accurate weather forecasting and
address emerging environmental issues and challenges. GeoXO, the
GOES-R series and the nation's weather satellites are vital
infrastructure for national resilience.
NOAA funds, manages and will operate the GOES-R series
satellites. NASA oversees the acquisition and development of the
GOES-R spacecraft, instruments and launch vehicles. The program is
co-located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Check out additional GOES-U imagery here and b-roll
video here.
About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global
defense technology company driving innovation and advancing
scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st
Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of
transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay
ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin
