Contact:

Cynthia M. O'Carroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/614-5563)

Patricia Viets
NOAA/NESDIS
(Phone: 301/457-5005

August 13, 2001 -- RELEASE NO: 01-77

GOES-M SATELLITE REACHES GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT

GOES-M, the country's newest environmental satellite, has reached its geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above the Earth. After launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on July 23, the satellite began a 20-day journey that involved nine motor firings to boost it into orbit.

The satellite was renamed GOES-12 on August 12, when it achieved geostationary orbit. NOAA operates two geostationary and two polar-orbiting satellites that provide meteorologists with information vital for timely and accurate forecasts.

"We are pleased to have been able to provide NOAA with another effective tool for the prediction of severe weather events," stated Martin A. Davis, the NASA GOES Program Manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

The GOES-12 satellite is the fifth of five advanced weather satellites operated by NOAA and designed to help improve forecasting of Earth's weather and space weather. GOES-12 is the first to have a sophisticated operational instrument for detecting solar storms. The solar X-ray imager is the most advanced instrument of its kind.

The solar X-ray imager will take a full and detailed snapshot of the sun's atmosphere each minute. The images will be used by NOAA and the U.S. Air Force to forecast the intensity and speed of solar disturbances that could destroy satellite electronics, disrupt long-distance radio communications or surge power grids. The imager enables forecasters to better protect billions of dollars worth of commercial and government assets in space and on the ground. The first image from the instrument is expected on August 29.

GOES-8, the first state-of-the-art geostationary environmental satellite, was launched April 13, 1994. It is currently positioned at 75 degrees West longitude, overlooking the East Coast of North and South America and well into the Atlantic Ocean. GOES-10, launched April 25, 1997, is overlooking the West Coast and well into the Pacific Ocean and Alaska.

The data gathered by the GOES satellites, combined with data from Doppler radars and the automated surface observing system, greatly aid forecasters in providing better advance warnings of thunderstorms, flash floods, hurricanes, winter storms, and other severe weather - which save lives, preserve property, and benefit marine, aviation, and commercial interests across the country. In addition, the satellites can relay distress signals from people, aircraft, or ships to search and rescue ground stations of the search and rescue satellite-aided tracking system.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the design, development, launch and on-orbit checkout of the spacecraft for NOAA.

NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) operates the GOES series of satellites. After the satellites complete on-orbit checkout, NOAA assumes responsibility for command and control, data receipt, and product generation and distribution. NESDIS is the nation's primary source of space-based meteorological and climate data. The NESDIS environmental satellites are used for weather forecasting, climate monitoring and other environmental applications such as fire detection, ozone monitoring and sea surface temperature measurements.

GOES information and imagery are available at:
http://goes2.gsfc.nasa.gov
http://www.oso.noaa.gov/
http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov
http://goes.noaa.gov