The GOES-R Series Program, which is leading the effort to replace and upgrade NOAA’s existing fleet of geostationary satellites that track severe weather across the United States, received a favorable appraisal conducted by an external team of aerospace experts of its preparations to launch the new series, beginning in late 2015.
“Severe weather was again a major story in America this year,” said Mary Kicza, assistant administrator of NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service. “Passing this Mission Critical Design Review gives us confidence that the GOES-R Program’s development is progressing well and will be ready to carry the latest technology to help improve NOAA’s weather forecasts.”
At all times, NOAA operates two Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites from a fixed position, 22,300 miles above the Earth. Additionally, NOAA keeps one GOES in orbital storage mode, ready to step in if one of the active satellites experiences trouble. NOAA’s geostationary satellites constantly monitor all weather conditions, from tornadoes, floods and snowstorms, to wildfires and developing tropical storms. In addition to their weather duties, GOES satellites also monitor solar activity, relay a wide variety of environmental data from earth-based observing systems, and detect emergency beacon signals from persons in distress.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20121128_goesr.html
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