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NOAA-M
ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED
June
24, 2002
A new NOAA satellite
that will improve weather forecasting and monitor environmental events
around the world soared into space this morning during a picture-perfect
launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., the Commerce Department's
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA announced
today. The NOAA-M spacecraft lifted off on an Air Force-launched Titan
II rocket.
Controllers successfully verified deployment of the solar array and
a power positive condition on the satellite. NOAA-M, now called 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
ten years.
"We're extremely pleased with the success of the launch, and look
forward to a successful mission for NOAA-17," said Vice Admiral Conrad
C. Lautenbacher Jr. USN (ret.), undersecretary of Commerce for oceans
and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.
Like other NOAA satellites, NOAA-17 will collect meteorological data
and transmit the information to users around the world to enhance
weather forecasting. In the United States, the data will be used primarily
by NOAA's National Weather Service for its long-range weather and
climate forecasts.
NOAA-17 was built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale,
Calif., and launched for NOAA under technical guidance and project
management by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA will turn operational
control of the NOAA-17 spacecraft over to NOAA 21 days after launch.
NASA's comprehensive on-orbit verification period is expected to last
until approximately 45 days after launch.
For more information about NOAA-17 and the polar orbiting satellites,
goto:
Launch pictures: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/g14/
Launch video: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/
(Scroll down to the lower right)
Other sites:
http://www.santamariatimes.com/display/inn_news/news02.txt
http://poes.gsfc.nasa.gov
http://www.osd.noaa.gov
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