GOES-R Weather Satellite all set for launch

Photo Credits: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

New Delhi: The Atlas V rocket and its GOES-R weather satellite are all set for Saturday’s launch from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida into the orbit.

The liftoff is schedule for Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 5:42 p.m. EST.

The GOES-R stands for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R .

According to NASA, the Atlas V is in its 541 configuration, which means it has the 5-meter-diameter payload fairing, four solid-fueled boosters and the Centaur upper stage is equipped with a single engine.

GOES-R is the first spacecraft in a new series of NASA-built advanced geostationary weather satellites and once in geostationary orbit, it will known as GOES-16.

This satellite will also provide images of weather patterns and severe storms as regularly as every five minutes or as frequently as every 30 seconds.

And the images can be used to aid in weather forecasts, severe weather outlooks, watches and warnings, lightning conditions, maritime forecasts and aviation forecasts.

It also will assist in longer term forecasting, such as in seasonal predictions and drought outlooks.

In addition, space weather conditions will be monitored constantly, including the effects of solar flares to provide advance notice of potential communication and navigation disruptions.

It also will assist researchers in understanding the interactions between land, oceans, the atmosphere and climate.