Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

The series Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (Sigle GOES ) form principal the meteorological satellite which has with its dispotition National Weather Service (NWS), national weather service of the the United States. The imagery and the data coming from GOES get a flow continuous and reliable of information used for the weather forecast (forecast by the meterologist S and numerical Prévision of time) and seeks it.

History

Since the satellite first Geostationary launched by NASA, SMS-1 in 1974, of the continuous improvements produced the reliable apparatuses of series GOES. They are lances with a letter in their code (e.g. GOES-A) and if the placing in orbit is a success, the letter is replaced by a figure (GOES-A became GOES-1). Thus the satellites in orbit are named by a continuation continues being unaware of the fallen through satellites (e.g. GOES-G was destroyed with launching and never accepted figure).

Boeing is the manufacturer of the GOES D with H and NR with P whereas Space Systems/Loral had the contracts for has with C and I with Mr. NASA is in load of the purchase, of the supervision of the plans and the bill books, but once the satellites in orbit, the management of the operations returns to NOAA. Twelve contracts of studies for the next generation beginning with GOES-R were announced in October 2003.

Here the chronological list:

The five operational GOES have the role:

  • Thanks to an antenna of 9 Meter S, the American base of research in the Antarctic can join the United States, via GOES-3, approximately five hours per days ata maximum rate of 2  048 Mb/S.
  • Within the framework of a multinational agreement, after the problems of launching of MTSAT-1, the substitute of satellite GMS-5, GOES-9 was lent to Japan, to cover the center of the Pacific Ocean.
  • GOES-10 is GOES-West covering is Pacific Ocean.
  • GOES-12 east GOES-Is, orbiting above the the Amazon and covering the remainder of Americas and part of the Atlantic Ocean.
  • GOES-N was put into orbit and will replace GOES-10 in a future brought closer under the number 13.


Features

The GOES are placed in geostationary orbit with 35  790  km of the surface of the Earth. They are stationed above a particular point in order to cover uninterrupted the same portion of the sphere 24 hours per day. The series knew several generations, the present generation started with GOES-I.

These satellites are stabilized and looks at uninterrupted the Earth thanks to a system of Gyroscope S with three axes. The main mission of these satellites being meteorology, they transport two types of Capteur S:

* a Radiometer imagor which can collect several wavelengths electromagnetic Specter in the visible one and the Infrarouge,

* a sounder which carries out an aerological survey remotely of the terrestrial atmosphere to draw from it the structure of temperature and moisture.

These sensors take a certain time to gather the data on the part of the sphere which they look at. Each part is probed by it according to the resolution instruments which is currently of 1 km ² under the satellite point and decreases while going towards the edges of the terrestrial disc because of the angle of sight.

Currently, the GOES emit a series of images every 15 minutes but by limiting the covered zone, the frequency can be increased to reach a series every 7 minutes and half. When a hurricane or a tornado strikes North America, it is this frequency which is required, which obliges to limit the window of data to the south of Canada, the United States and the the Antilles, the majority of South America being covered only every three hours. Like this situation 40  occurs; % of time during the season of the hurricanes and the tornadoes, the GOES-10 will be repositioned above the Amazon in October 2006 to cure it, provided that GOES-N functions normally to take its place.

Certain secondary instruments make parties of the apparatus. One notes the system of collection of data, the system of transmission and the monitoring system of the conditions of operations. This last follows the vital functions of the satellite thanks to a Magnétomètre, a detector of x-rays, a detector of Proton S energy and a detector of particles Alpha. Finally, the GOES have two locators of beacons of distress used by the research and rescue of the center of rescue of the US Air Force.

Use

The visible and infra-red data coming from satellites GOES are interpreted by the meteorologists to locate the weather systems and the structure of the atmosphere. In real-time, they can follow in the short run the evolution of depressions, hurricanes, storms and send warnings or alarms. Thanks to the data of temperature, winds and moisture coming from the GOES, and which are injected into the digital models of forecast, from the charts of evolution of these systems are produced. They are used for the meteorologists in the longer-term forecast.

In mode seeks, the data accumulated on big events like the Ouragan Hugo (1989) and the Tornade S of the Middle West American, can lead to an improvement of the techniques of forecast and models.

Future

Series GOES-R is only with the phase of discussion and here certain instruments which could there be found:

  • a more powerful imagor

  • of the radiometers to greater number of channels: 16 instead of 5
  • a finer resolution: 0,5 km for the visible one and 2 km for infra-red the
  • frequency of the data: 5 minutes
  • disappearance of times when the satellite is not available because of a loss of current, when the Earth eclipse the Sun,
  • improvement of the detection of the lightning (+ 90%)
  • a series of special sensors for: particles coming from the Magnetosphere, the Ion S with high energy, the Proton S solar and galactic
  • a series of sensors for the Sun: x-rays, gamma (γ) and Ultraviolet.

See too

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