The launch of a new satellite from the Space Coast is expected to revolutionize weather forecasting.

  • GOES-R will provide images of weather patterns, severe storms every 5 minutes
  • Will help predict severe storms for both land and sea
  • It will carry first operational lightning mapper

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) is the very first spacecraft in a new era of NASA geostationary weather satellites built for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The multi-billion dollar advanced system, which took some 40 years in the making, will provide images of weather patterns and severe storms every five minutes, even as often as every 30 seconds.

The images will be invaluable for weather forecasters to help predict severe storms, issuing watches and warnings for both land and at sea. In fact, the satellite will carry the first operational lightning mapper.

One big asset of the new satellite system is that it can constantly monitor space weather. For example, it can watch out for solar flares which could disrupt planetary communications.

"For weather forecasters, GOES-R will be similar to be going from a black and white TV to a super high definition TV," said Stephen Volz, NOAA's assistant administrator for Satellite and Information Services.

Eventually three more fellow satellites will join the GOES-R in orbit, providing an East to West scan of the entire Northern Hemisphere for the next two decades.

The GOES-R mission is set to launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Saturday.

Right now the weather forecast stands at 90 percent favorable.

The hour long window opens at 5:42 p.m.