NOAA-17 sends first image of earth

Sea Technology, Aug 2002

The first satellite image from space sent by NOAA-17, the country's newest environmental satellite, was beamed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on June 27. Following its textbook launch June 24 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the new satellite is undergoing a routine functions check before becoming fully operational. The satellite's first image was of cloud patterns over the Great Lakes area.

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, named NOAA-M until reaching Earth's orbit, was built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. (Sunnyvale, California) 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, visit http://poes.gsfc.nasa.gov. For NOAA-17's first image, visit http://www.osei.noaa.gov/events/current/uni17first176_n7.jpg.