The United States has launched a new satellite, GOES-19, 22,000 miles above the equator, which will improve hurricane forecasting during the Atlantic hurricane season. The GOES-19 satellite became operational on April 7 and serves as NOAA’s primary geostationary satellite for the Western Hemisphere.
The satellite will track hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean basin, providing high-resolution visible and infrared imagery, atmospheric measurements, and real-time mapping of lightning activity. It also features space weather instruments to monitor solar activity, enabling an advanced early warning system for potential solar storms.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center director, Clinton Wallace, stated that the satellite’s improved resolution and detection capabilities will help predict dangerous space weather affecting satellites, GPS, astronaut safety, aviation, and power grids. The GOES-R satellite program is a collaboration between NOAA and NASA, with NASA launching and building the satellites, while NOAA operates them and distributes data to users worldwide.
Source: https://www.caymancompass.com/2025/04/10/new-satellite-could-improve-hurricane-forecasting