NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have jointly established a board to study the issue that resulted in a three percent availability loss of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 17. The infrared detectors of the weather satellite’s Advanced Baseline Imager instrument did not maintain required operational temperatures under certain conditions during a postlaunch test, NASA said Tuesday.
David McGowan, chief engineer at the space agency’s Langley Research Center, will chair the board. Board members include lead NASA researchers Joel Lachter, Rich Slywczak, Hank Rotter and Julie Grantier.
GOES-17 is part of a series of satellites that work to provide weather forecasts and warnings. The satellite is slated to be operationally renamed the GOES West later this year.
