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July
8, 2002
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an
online newsletter for and by NOAA employees
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Picture-Perfect
Launch a Credit to NOAA Staff
When NOAA-M, or NOAA-17 now that it's in orbit, soared into space on June 24, the world saw a picture-perfect NOAA-NASA launch. NOAA's newest satellite lifted off on an Air Force-launched Titan II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, about 150 scenic miles northwest of Los Angeles. Saying he was "extremely pleased with the success of the launch," VADM Conrad Lautenbacher was looking ahead to NOAA-17's contributions "to our global environmental observing system and the critical functions it will perform for virtually all of our missions, such as weather, climate, oceans, fisheries and ecosystem monitoring." NOAA staff key to NOAA-17's success were still holding their breath. "I held my breath for 30 minutes - from lift-off to orbit," said Mike Mignogno, polar project manager at NESDIS, NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service. "We needed to make sure the antennas deployed properly, and that the solar panels unfolded into proper position to capture sunlight. That's how the spacecraft is powered."  Mike Mignogno (left), polar program manager at NESDIS, with Angelo Wade, NOAA-17 launch coordinator, and Angelea Ferguson, program staff secretary. These satellites provide daily observation of the entire globe. From sunrise to sunset, the NOAA satellites give us two shots at viewing every spot on the planet. To ensure that these views are never interrupted, two satellites are kept up and running at all times.  (From left) Jim Parker, Andy Carson, Jean Knox, Bill Mazur, and Phil Green. NOAA-17 is the third in a series of five polar-orbiting satellites with improved imaging and sounding capabilities that will operate over the next 10 years. In developing and guiding NOAA-17 into orbit, Mike worked closely with NOAA's Acquisition Team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland: leader Bill Mazur, Jean Knox, Andy Carson, Jim Parker, Phil Green, and Micky Fitzmaurice. At his NOAA offices in Suitland, Maryland, Mike looked to launch coordinator Angelo Wade and the outstanding support of Angela Ferguson, the program staff secretary. Just as the other polar-orbiting satellites, data transmitted by NOAA-17 will broadcast what is happening on the Earth below. Data provided to users around the globe will reveal the extent of weather systems, the structure of atmospheric temperature and humidity, the likelihood of severe weather, sea surface temperatures and much more. For weeks, NOAA-16, NOAA-17's companion satellite, has been mapping hot spots in support of fire-fighting activities in several western states. Satellite users throughout the world are both public and private. Beyond the National Weather Service, users include the Departments of Defense and Agriculture, universities and the fishing industry, among numerous others. NOAA-17 also carries components of SARSAT, the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System. By detecting emergency beacons from people, ships, aircraft, SARSAT is credited with saving over 13,000 lives since its inception in 1982. Mike envisions far-reaching advances for the next generation of satellites. "We'll have temperature and humidity profiles with much finer capabilities," he said. "Instead of the present 40 channels, we'll have over a thousand, and the ../images taken by satellites will have 2 to 4 times better resolution." NOAA established the requirements and provided funding for NOAA-17. Through its contractors, NASA collaborated with NOAA to build and launch the satellite. The day-to-day responsibilities of commanding the spacecraft, retrieving and processing data, and ensuring that timely data gets into the hands of world-wide users is the work of NOAA. For more details, http://www.noaa.nesdis.gov; http://poes.nasa.gsfc.gov. |
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