2003 EARTH SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
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Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: |
Synopsis |
| EVEN SOLAR STORMS TRACKED BY NEW WEATHER SAT | G03-012 | 01/30/03 | 00:08:44 | The new Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) instrument will be watching storms on the Sun while the rest of the spacecraft watches storms on Earth. While the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) have been watching space weather since 1974, this is the first time there has been an instrument to image the Sun - an important forecasting tool.
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TAPE CONTENTS: |
| ITEM (1): The View From SXI - When most people think of GOES, they see hurricanes traveling up a map, but keeping track of the Sun has also been part of its mission. While SXI is the first solar imager to fly on GOES, the X-Ray Sensor (XRS) has flown for decades and allows scientists to rate each flare, or explosion on the surface of the Sun according to its intensity - a crucial factor when determining if space or communication systems will be in danger from stormy space weather.
The SXI is set apart from other research solar spacecraft thanks to its forecast-driven requirements. Because of its geostationary orbit, there is continuous 24/7 coverage of the Sun with an image sent down to Earth every minute, compared to once every 12 minutes for a research spacecraft. NOAA's goal is to have data available to operators and forecasters within one minute of the last image bit being received in their Space Environment Center in Boulder, Co. The X-ray capability will allow for observation of coronal holes that cause geomagnetic storms and to infer solar activity occurring behind the Sun's edge, or limb. This solar view was captured during the SXI testing period immediately after launch.
Courtesy: NASA/NOAA
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| ITEM (2): GOES-12 Spacecraft - The most recent GOES spacecraft was launched July 23, 2001 and is the last of the current design series. Once in orbit, it was put into a standby mode until one of the two operating spacecraft needed replacing. In this case, it will take over for the nine-year-old GOES-8 satellite that overlooked the Eastern part of the US for weather services throughout the country. It flies in a geostationary orbit, meaning that it rotates with the Earth to remain in the same spot over the U.S. GOES satellites are also key in monitoring volcanoes, forest fires, thunderstorms, rainfall, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Courtesy: NASA/NOAA
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| ITEM (3): GOES' View of Earth - There are always two GOES satellites looking down on the US - covering the east and west sides of the country.
1- The relative positions and coverage areas of the two satellites (now GOES-10 and 12).
2- Current ground-based radar and satellite weather coverage of the United States.
3- 'Launch & Park' of the GOES-12 spacecraft and its standby orbit. (GOES-11 is currently on reserve)
Courtesy: NASA/NOAA
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| ITEM (4): Forecasting Space Weather - Tracking space weather is big business - solar storms can impact billions of dollars worth of assets. Images from the SXI will be used to monitor and forecast the sources of space weather disturbances from the Sun, enabling forecasters to predict disturbances to Earth's space environment that can destroy satellites, disrupt radio communications or surge power grids, as well as endanger astronauts working in space. This view is from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) during solar max, the peak period of the Sun's 11-year solar activity cycle.
Courtesy: NASA/ESA
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| ITEM (5): GOES in KSC Cleanroom
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (6): GOES-M Launch - GOES-M was launched on July 23, 2001 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Upon reaching orbit, it was renamed GOES-12.
Courtesy: NASA/NOAA
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