Next-generation Weather Satellite Launches to Begin Forecasting “Revolution”

A powerful new satellite that will give forecasters their best-ever looks at storms and other severe weather has taken to the skies.

The GOES-R weather satellite lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral... Nov. 19 at 6:42 p.m. EST, riding a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket to orbit. The spectacular launch, which lit up the Florida evening sky, occurred about one hour later than planned due to issues with the rocket and launch range that were swiftly resolved.

GOES-R is the first of four new advanced weather satellites that are, somewhat confusingly, collectively known as GOES-R. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which manages the GOES-R program, is expecting big things from all four of these spacecraft.

“Without a doubt, GOES-R will revolutionize weather forecasting as we know it,” Stephen Volz, assistant administrator for NOAA’s Satellite and Information Services division, said during a pre-launch news conference on Thursday (Nov. 17). “For weather forecasters, `GOES-R will be similar to going from a black-and-white TV to super-high-definition TV,” Volz added. “For the American public, that will mean faster, more accurate weather forecasts and warnings. That also will mean more lives saved and better environmental intelligence for state and local officials and all decision makers.”

Famed NBC Today Show weather man Al Roker, one of many TV meteorologists who attended the GOES satellite launch, agreed with Volz. “What’s so exciting is that we’re going to be getting more data, more often, with much more detail and higher resolution,”... The new GOES satellite will help improve not only weather forecasts but hurricane and tornado predictions as well, Roker added." If we can give people another 10, 15 or 20 minutes, we’re talking about lives being saved,”.
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mbig said:

The first of 4 new Weather/GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) launched a few days ago, promising much better looks at weather events, better predictions, more warning time for many.
"Like going from Black and White to HD TV".
May even be more interesting to watch the weather soon.


Next-generation weather satellite launches to begin forecasting “revolution”
by Mike Wall
November 20, 2016
Next-generation weather satellite launches to begin forecasting "revolution" - SpaceNews.com

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