Deployment of the First-Ever Operational Network of Commercially-Provided GOES-16 Direct-Receive Ground Stations in Central and South America

Following the recent launch of the GOES-R (now GOES-16) geostationary satellite system, many government entities across the Americas began seeking new, GOES-16-compliant direct receive ground stations. Such ground stations would permit users to receive, process, visualize and distribute data streaming directly from the GOES-16 satellite. Enterprise Electronics Corporation (EEC) began work on a new, GOES-16-compliant direct receive ground station back in 2013. Dubbed Capella-GR, EEC has since delivered over 15 such systems to customers spanning Central and South America. Although the GOES-16 data will not be declared operational until November 2017 (when it moves into the GOES-East position), Capella-GR users are already processing and visualizing GOES-16 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) data for research and operations preparation. This ABI data, both in its current experimental state as well as future operational state, will be used by various Central and South American users to better support their decision-making processes and protection of people and assets via advanced warning of adverse weather.