Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS NOAA Response to Action Presented to CGMS-41 plenary session

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS CGMS WG III Action NOAA, in consultation with South America users and WMO, to investigate options for a follow-on to GOES-12 mission for South America, in order to develop a transition plan, involving GOES or other geostationary satellites, until the availability of the GOES next generation, which is expected to provide full coverage of both North and South America.

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS GOES-12 Operations History GOES-12 as GOES East: Launched on July 23, 2001 On-orbit storage at 105W from January 2002 through January 2003 Served as GOES East for 7 years starting April 2003 Lost propulsion system redundancy as a result of a B-string thruster fuel leak anomaly in December 2008 Inclination maneuver fuel limitation reached in December 2009 Replaced by GOES-13 in April 2010 when the orbit inclination was approaching 0.5 degrees. GOES-12 as GOES South America: Relocated to 60W longitude and began South America mission in May Sufficient fuel remaining for E/W stationkeeping at 60W and de-orbit maneuvers. Started XGOHI image remapping function in November 2011 when the orbit inclination reached 1.75 degrees. GOES-12 has supported South America for 3 years with Imaging and Sounding schedules

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS Status The GOES-12 satellite has provided over three years of successful GOES-12 coverage of South America on a best efforts basis. Increasing risk of operating GOES-12 due to low fuel levels and degradation of the spacecraft propulsion systems. Risk is increased during the eclipse season because the spacecraft cannot be maneuvered due to battery power constraints. NOAA must ensure safe deorbit of the spacecraft.

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS Decommissioning NOAA is planning to conduct the safe deorbit and decommissioning of GOES- 12 during the month of August before the eclipse season. All systems on the satellite will be shut down at that time. End GOES-12 South America support on August 13, 2013 Reserve August 14, 15 for approved End of Life tests Perform GOES-12 orbit raising maneuvers and complete decommissioning on August 15 and 16

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS User Impacts to ending GOES-12 Operations South American Users (primarily Brazil) make products out of GOES-12 data including satellite derived winds – Brazil: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) GOES-12 data used in numerical modeling. Primary source of weather products – Argentina: Comision Nacional De Activadades (CONAE) Limited utilization due to increased GOES-12 orbit inclination – Argentina: Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisories GOES-12 data is used by STAR Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) OSPO/SPSD/SAB can access the data (from SSEC at Univ. of Wisconsin in McIDAS format) for use in viewing, analyzing, etc... This is done on rare occasion

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS GOES-12 vs. GOES-13 South America Coverage GOES-12 Images Every 3 Hour: 4 South America images during non Full Disk hours 1 Full disk and 2 South America images during Full Disk hour There are 11 S.A. images in the 3-hour period GOES-13 Routine Schedule Images Every 3 Hour: 2 Southern hemisphere images during non Full Disk hours 1 Full Disk, 1 Southern hemisphere images during Full Disk hour There are 6 S.A. images in the 3-hour period GOES-13 Rapid Schedule Images Every 3 Hour: 1 Full Disk image during Full Disk hour No other measurable data over South America There are only 1 S.A. image in the 3-hour period OSPO to analyze the possibility of providing an image of South America every hour when GOES- 13 is in Rapid Scan Operation

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS Conclusion Although NOAA does not have specific plans to replace GOES-12, it will review options should circumstances change and subject to the health of the total GOES constellation. NOAA is in the process of analyzing the possibility of providing an image of South America every hour when GOES-13 is in Rapid Scan Operation NOAA is mindful of the interests of South American users and will keep them, as well as WMO and CGMS, fully apprised of the status of prospects for follow-on GOES coverage. Full coverage of South America is expected through NOAA follow-on generation satellites beginning with GOES-R.

Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites - CGMS