MELBOURNE, Fla.- Harris Corporation’s (NYSE:HRS) second Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather-monitoring mission, is scheduled to launch March 1 on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES).
The ABI will be controlled by the Harris-built enterprise ground system and deliver three times the amount of spectral coverage in four times the resolution and five times faster than older GOES satellites. It will provide better weather monitoring information more quickly throughout the western half of the United States and support forecasting and public safety efforts.
NOAA’s GOES-R, now called GOES-East, launched in November 2016 and includes the first ABI that monitors the Western Hemisphere. It became operational late last year and covers the eastern half of the hemisphere, while GOES-S will cover the western half. GOES-East has tracked devastating hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and along the East Coast, providing the National Weather Service with more detail on each storm’s structure and path than available from previous weather satellites.
GOES-S will improve fire detection and severe weather forecasting, helping to protect residents in the western U.S. The ABI instrument has day-and-night thermal detection and 30-second revisit time capabilities providing firefighters more insight into fire intensity, behavior and how it will spread.
“The ABI’s increased capabilities will help save lives and provide new insight and better forecasts for severe weather, fog, volcanic ash and many other environmental issues,” said Eric Webster, vice president and general manager, Harris Environmental Solutions.
Harris ABIs also will be included on GOES-T and GOES-U, which will complete NOAA’s latest generation of geostationary weather satellites. The entire series will be controlled by Harris’ enterprise ground system.
About Harris Corporation
Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers’ toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Electronic Systems and Space and Intelligence Systems. Learn more at harris.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements about system capabilities are forward-looking and involve risk and uncertainties. Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
