GOES-T is the third satellite in the GOES-R series ― the Western Hemisphere’s most advanced weather-observing and environmental monitoring system. Data from GOES-T will help meteorologists see the big picture as well as read the fine print, providing critical real-time information before, during and after severe weather and disasters strike
All this, and Rescue too?
The GOES-R Series also continues the legacy Geostationary SAR (GEOSAR) function of the SARSAT system onboard NOAA’s GOES satellites which has contributed to the rescue of thousands of individuals in distress. The GOES-R Series SARSAT transponder operates with a lower uplink power than the previous system, enabling GOES-R Series satellites to detect weaker beacon signals.
Quick Move to Operational Status
The spacecraft, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will rename GOES-18, will initially be checked out at 89.5 degrees west in GEO. The spacecraft will then drift to 136.8 degrees west, the GOES-West slot, by August for final testing. It will take over as the operational GOES-West satellite in early January of 2023
GOES-18 will take over for GOES-17, which launched as GOES-S on an Atlas 5 exactly four years ago. A problem with the performance of its main weather instrument, the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), led NOAA to replace it with GOES-18. Once GOES-18 takes over as GOES-West, GOES-17 will move into on-orbit storage at 105 degrees west, ready to take over for either the GOES-16 satellite in the GOES-East slot or GOES-18 encounters problems.