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NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite is now operational, providing critical new data to forecasters as hurricane season approaches.
The GOES-19 satellite replaces GOES-16 and is NOAA's primary geostationary satellite for much of the Western Hemisphere.
“With GOES-19 now in operation, NOAA has delivered the full fleet of GOES-R satellites to orbit, providing the most sophisticated technology ever flown in space to help forecast weather on Earth,” said Stephen Volz, Ph.D., assistant administrator for NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service. “GOES-19 supports NOAA’s mission to provide secure and timely access to global environmental data and information to promote and protect the nation's security, environment, economy and quality of life.”
It will track hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean basin and is also equipped with space weather instruments to monitor the sun.
The satellite can detect geomagnetic storms, auroras, and potential disruptions to technology, including electricity and satellite communications.