We’re counting down to liftoff for NOAA’s GOES-U satellite from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday afternoon.
Why is the launch of this satellite so important? Well, it will play a big role in forecasting the weather – everything from severe thunderstorms to hurricanes.
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In fact, at more than 22,000 miles above Earth, GOES-U, which will eventually be known as GOES East, will monitor weather conditions over much of North and South America along with the Atlantic Ocean.
The satellite will also have NOAA’s first operational compact coronagraph on board. According to NOAA, the coronagraph will help improve space weather prediction, allowing forecasters and researchers to view the sun’s activity.
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This will help forecasters better predict when phenomena like solar flares could occur and help give earlier warnings of disruptions to power utilities and communication systems on Earth.
The satellite is expected to launch at 5:16 pm ET, if the forecast cooperates. Right now, there are thunderstorms in the forecast for Tuesday afternoon at Cape Canaveral.
