STFC RAL Space are celebrating the successful launch of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series (GOES-R) from Cape Canaveral at 23:42 on 19th November. GOES-R is one of the next generation of geostationary weather satellites. The instrumentation on board will be used to provide more accurate forecasts and warnings. It will improve support for the detection and observations of space weather events that can directly affect public safety and infrastructure.There are six primary instruments on board GOES-R, one of these instruments, the Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) is a telescope that monitors the sun in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength range. STFC RAL Space provided the camera electronics on SUVI, working closely with e2v technologies ltd who provided the detectors. Our customer, Lockheed Martin were the lead on SUVI and worked with us for 7 years to bring the project to fruition.
Prof Nick Waltham Chief Technologist from STFC RAL Space said "Working with Lockheed Martin to provide the camera electronics for SUVI was a fantastic experience for us and a gamechanger in the way we work in RAL Space. To be able to work on a project that has a fundamental effect on our understanding of our planet is a great opportunity and my team at RAL Space are immensely proud of our work”.
The GOES-R spacecraft is designed to spend 10 years in orbit followed by up to five years of on-orbit storage. The GOES-R series is a collaborative development and acquisition effort between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA. The GOES-R satellite, the first of the series, will provide continuous imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s Western Hemisphere and space weather monitoring.
For more information please contact:
RAL Space Enquiries
