Weather

GOES-R, latest weather satellite set to launch on Saturday; better data, forecast improvements

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — This weekend, the most technologically advanced weather satellite will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

The satellite will be carried by Atlas V and it is set to launch at 5:42 p.m.

The satellite has already experience some weather hazards.

Initially, it was set to launch on November 4, but after Hurricane Matthew graced Florida’s Space Coast at the beginning of October, rushing winds of 115 mph, the infrastructure had to be well revised and assured that no major damages were left by the storm.

It is already a risky launch, carrying a lot of technology and instruments valued at more than $1.4 billion.

The GOES-R spacecraft was not harmed during Hurricane Matthew, as it was safely stored inside Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville.

NOAA, United Launch Alliance and NASA joined forces with Lockheed Martin to build, design and test the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series impressive satellite.  It was built at the Lockheed Martin facilities in Denver, Colorado.

The new weather eye is packed with great technology that will greatly improve forecast by providing more updates and clearer images, scientists said.

Latest most technologically advanced satellite will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Check out some of the most important instruments onboard! El más avanzado satélite será lanzado al espacio desde el Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA este sábado. Miren algunos de los instrumentos que irán abordo.

Posted by Irene Sans on Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Lockheed Martin also designed and built the Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) and the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), which are instruments that will fly aboard each spacecraft.

This is quite a coincidence! 7 years ago I wrote on Social media, while watching the Atlantis launch on an Atlas V from...

Posted by Irene Sans on Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Channel 9's digital meteorologist Irene Sans is covering this historic event, and will be at Kennedy Space Center this week participating in a workshop for broadcast meteorologists. If you have questions, make sure to write them on her Facebook page or Twitter.

Top scientists from NOAA and NASA will be at Kennedy Space Center and your question could also be answered by one of them.

These are 2 launch pads. Left is SpaceX and right (4 towers) is the Atlas V, where #GOESR will launch. By the way, it's...

Posted by Irene Sans on Thursday, November 17, 2016