NOAA Science Test Results from the GOES-14 and -15 Imager and Sounder

NOAA Science Tests are a critical step in checking out the GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite). This period follows the NASA-lead engineering check-out period. Results from both GOES-14 and GOES-15 will be presented. The Science Test for GOES-14 started on 30 November 2009 and ended 5 weeks later on 4 January 2010. GOES-15 launched on 4 March 2010 and is the final spacecraft in the latest series of NOAA geostationary satellites. The next GOES satellite to launch will be the first of the GOES-R series. Early results from this pre-operational phase of GOES-15 will be shown. This includes, but is not limited to: first visible and infrared images from both the imager and sounder, preliminary image quality analysis (signal-to-noise ratio, etc.) and preliminary product quality analysis (product examples and comparisons to similar products from other satellites) and special rapid-scan imagery. The timeframe for the GOES-15 Science test is late summer of 2010. After the NOAA Science test, GOES-15 will be placed in orbital storage mode.