Bowser
09-23-00, 08:17 PM
Cynthia M. O'Carroll September 18, 2000
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Patricia Viets
NOAA/NESDIS
John Leslie
National Weather Service
RELEASE NO: 00-85
NEW ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SET TO LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 20
A new environmental satellite that will improve weather
forecasting and monitor environmental events around the world is
poised to launch Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-L spacecraft
is scheduled to lift off aboard an Air Force Titan II launch vehicle
on November 20 at 6:22 a.m. EDT (3:22 a.m. PDT). The launch window
extends for approximately 10 minutes.
The NOAA-L satellite NOAA-L is the second in a series of five
Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) with improved
imaging and sounding capabilities that will operate over the next 12
years. Like other NOAA satellites, NOAA-L will collect meteorological
data and transmit the information to users around the world to
enhance weather forecasting. The data will be used primarily by
NOAA's National Weather Service for its long-range weather and
climate forecasts.
The satellite will continue the support of the international
COSPAS-SARSAT system by providing search and rescue capabilities
essential for detection and location of ships, aircraft, and people
in distress.
The polar-orbiting satellites monitor the entire Earth, tracking
atmospheric variables and providing atmospheric data and cloud
images. They track global weather patterns affecting the weather and
climate of the United States. The satellites provide visible and
infrared radiometer data for imaging purposes, radiation
measurements, and temperature and moisture profiles. The polar
orbiters' ultraviolet sensors also measure ozone levels in the
atmosphere and are able to detect the ozone hole over Antarctica from
mid-September to mid-November. Each day, these satellites send
global measurements to NOAA's Command and Data Acquisition station
computers, adding vital information to forecasting models, especially
over the oceans, where conventional data is lacking.
NOAA's environmental satellite system is composed of two types
of satellites: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites
(GOES) for national, regional, short-range warning and "now-casting;"
and the polar-orbiting satellites for global, long-term forecasting
and environmental monitoring. Both GOES and POES are necessary for
providing a complete global weather monitoring system. Both also
carry search and rescue instruments to relay signals from aviators
and mariners in distress. These satellites are operated by NOAA's
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in
Suitland, Md.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is
responsible for the construction, integration, launch and
verification testing of the spacecraft, instruments and unique ground
equipment. Kennedy Space Center serves as the point of contact
between the U.S. Air Force and NOAA for spacecraft integration
requirements with the Titan II launch vehicle. On launch day, KSC
will serve as the NASA Mission Director through which launch
readiness and the final NOAA-L "go for launch" will be conveyed to
the Air Force launch director.
NASA turns operational control of the NOAA-L spacecraft over to
NOAA 10 days after launch. NASA's comprehensive on-orbit verification
period is expected to last until approximately 45 days after launch.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., built the
spacecraft, under contract to Goddard. The scientific instruments
were built by ITT Industries, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Aerojet Gencorp,
Azusa, Calif.; Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo.;
and Panametrics, Inc., Waltham, Mass.
Data from the NOAA spacecraft are used by researchers within
NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, a long-term research program
designed to study Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a
total integrated system. In addition, this data is helping NASA
scientists design instruments for follow-on missions.
For more information about NOAA-L and the polar orbiting
satellites, see the following web sites: http://poes.gsfc.nasa.gov http://www2.ncdc.noaa.gov/docs/intro.htm http://www.osd.noaa.gov/sats/poes.htm
Editors Note: The NOAA L pre-launch news conference will be held on
Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT). NASA Television will
carry the pre-launch news conference live. A complete NOAA-L video
package will be broadcast during the NASA TV Video File on Sept. 19
at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight EDT. On launch day,
Sept. 20, NASA TV coverage of the countdown will begin at 5:30 a.m.
EDT (2:30 a.m. PDT). It will conclude after spacecraft separation
from the Titan II occurring about 16 minutes after launch.
NASA Television is carried on GE-2, transponder 9C located at 85
degrees West longitude. Audio only will be available on two "V"
A Webcast of the NOAA-L launch will also be available on the
NASA-KSC Home Page at www.ksc.nasa.gov. (http://www.ksc.nasa.gov.) (Select KSC Live Video Feeds
followed by NASA TV coverage.)
------------------
It's all very large.
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Patricia Viets
NOAA/NESDIS
John Leslie
National Weather Service
RELEASE NO: 00-85
NEW ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SET TO LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 20
A new environmental satellite that will improve weather
forecasting and monitor environmental events around the world is
poised to launch Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-L spacecraft
is scheduled to lift off aboard an Air Force Titan II launch vehicle
on November 20 at 6:22 a.m. EDT (3:22 a.m. PDT). The launch window
extends for approximately 10 minutes.
The NOAA-L satellite NOAA-L is the second in a series of five
Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) with improved
imaging and sounding capabilities that will operate over the next 12
years. Like other NOAA satellites, NOAA-L will collect meteorological
data and transmit the information to users around the world to
enhance weather forecasting. The data will be used primarily by
NOAA's National Weather Service for its long-range weather and
climate forecasts.
The satellite will continue the support of the international
COSPAS-SARSAT system by providing search and rescue capabilities
essential for detection and location of ships, aircraft, and people
in distress.
The polar-orbiting satellites monitor the entire Earth, tracking
atmospheric variables and providing atmospheric data and cloud
images. They track global weather patterns affecting the weather and
climate of the United States. The satellites provide visible and
infrared radiometer data for imaging purposes, radiation
measurements, and temperature and moisture profiles. The polar
orbiters' ultraviolet sensors also measure ozone levels in the
atmosphere and are able to detect the ozone hole over Antarctica from
mid-September to mid-November. Each day, these satellites send
global measurements to NOAA's Command and Data Acquisition station
computers, adding vital information to forecasting models, especially
over the oceans, where conventional data is lacking.
NOAA's environmental satellite system is composed of two types
of satellites: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites
(GOES) for national, regional, short-range warning and "now-casting;"
and the polar-orbiting satellites for global, long-term forecasting
and environmental monitoring. Both GOES and POES are necessary for
providing a complete global weather monitoring system. Both also
carry search and rescue instruments to relay signals from aviators
and mariners in distress. These satellites are operated by NOAA's
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in
Suitland, Md.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is
responsible for the construction, integration, launch and
verification testing of the spacecraft, instruments and unique ground
equipment. Kennedy Space Center serves as the point of contact
between the U.S. Air Force and NOAA for spacecraft integration
requirements with the Titan II launch vehicle. On launch day, KSC
will serve as the NASA Mission Director through which launch
readiness and the final NOAA-L "go for launch" will be conveyed to
the Air Force launch director.
NASA turns operational control of the NOAA-L spacecraft over to
NOAA 10 days after launch. NASA's comprehensive on-orbit verification
period is expected to last until approximately 45 days after launch.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., built the
spacecraft, under contract to Goddard. The scientific instruments
were built by ITT Industries, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Aerojet Gencorp,
Azusa, Calif.; Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo.;
and Panametrics, Inc., Waltham, Mass.
Data from the NOAA spacecraft are used by researchers within
NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, a long-term research program
designed to study Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a
total integrated system. In addition, this data is helping NASA
scientists design instruments for follow-on missions.
For more information about NOAA-L and the polar orbiting
satellites, see the following web sites: http://poes.gsfc.nasa.gov http://www2.ncdc.noaa.gov/docs/intro.htm http://www.osd.noaa.gov/sats/poes.htm
Editors Note: The NOAA L pre-launch news conference will be held on
Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT). NASA Television will
carry the pre-launch news conference live. A complete NOAA-L video
package will be broadcast during the NASA TV Video File on Sept. 19
at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight EDT. On launch day,
Sept. 20, NASA TV coverage of the countdown will begin at 5:30 a.m.
EDT (2:30 a.m. PDT). It will conclude after spacecraft separation
from the Titan II occurring about 16 minutes after launch.
NASA Television is carried on GE-2, transponder 9C located at 85
degrees West longitude. Audio only will be available on two "V"
A Webcast of the NOAA-L launch will also be available on the
NASA-KSC Home Page at www.ksc.nasa.gov. (http://www.ksc.nasa.gov.) (Select KSC Live Video Feeds
followed by NASA TV coverage.)
------------------
It's all very large.