GOES-T and -U Post-Launch Product Testing Plans and Lessons Learned from GOES-R and -S

With GOES-R and GOES-S successfully launched and deemed GOES-16 and GOES-17 (operationally GOES East and GOES West), next up for launch in the series are GOES-T and GOES-U (launches planned for 2021 and 2024). The lessons learned from post-launch tests of the first two satellites in the GOES-R Series will be utilized to streamline the path for GOES-T and GOES-U products to become ready for operational use, leading to earlier product distribution to end users.

GOES-R Series data products need to pass through a series of calibration and validation tests with the results showing that the instruments and products have achieved each level of maturity required by the mission. The three levels of maturity are Beta, Provisional, and Full, and each level indicates an increase in confidence and knowledge in the products. A key milestone of the post-launch product testing (PLPT) is Provisional maturity, at which point the products are considered ready for operational use and the data are distributed to the National Weather Service and other end users. Full maturity requires that testing and trending continue after Provisional declaration to better characterize the accuracy and precision of each product.

This poster will identify ways in which the GOES-R Program is planning to shorten the timeline to Provisional maturity, such as by optimizing data collects, utilizing tools already built to analyze data from previously launched GOES-R Series satellites, performing new intercomparison methods with existing GOES-R Series satellites, and removing unneeded or obsolescent post-launch tests.