Launch Schedules Meteorological / Environmental Satellites
Updated: March 2010
This schedule is for informational purposes only. Future dates are subject to change.
Corrections to this launch forecast are welcome.
Email Corrections to NOAA's:
Marlin.O.Perkins@noaa.gov or
Paul.Seymour@noaa.gov
Future Polar-Orbiting Satellites Coordinated within CGMS
| Orbit type
(equatorial crossing times) |
Satellites in orbit
(+operation mode)
P=Pre-operational
Op=operational
B=back-up
L=limited availability
R= R&D |
Operator |
Equatorial Crossing Time
A=Ascend
(northward)
D=Descend
(southward)
+Altitude |
Launch date |
Status |
Sun-synchronous
local “early morning” orbit
(05:00 –07:00)
(17:00 – 19:00) |
FY-1D (Op) |
CMA |
06:50 (D)
866 km |
15 May 2002 |
Functional. CHRPT. MVISR, SEM. Expected end of service >2009. Last s/c of FY-1 series. |
| NOAA-15 (B) |
NOAA |
04:46 (D)
807 km |
05/1998 |
Functional (intermittent problems with AVHRR, AMSU-B & HIRS). AMSU-A1 channels 11 & 14 inoperative. |
| DMSP-F13 (B) |
NOAA |
18:33 (A)
850 km |
03/1995 |
Defence satellite. Data available to civilian users through NOAA. Only 1 recorder on-board with limited functionality. |
| DMSP-F14 (B) |
NOAA |
17:24 (A)
852 km |
04/1997 |
Defence satellite. SSMI1 (microwave temperature sounder) non-functional. SSMT2 non-functional. No functional on-board recorder.. Data available to civilian users through NOAA |
| DMSP-F17 (Op) |
NOAA |
17:31 (A)
850 km |
4 Nov 2007 |
Defence satellite.
SSMIS. Data available to civilian users through NOAA. |
Sun-synchronous
local “morning” orbit
(07:00 – 12:00)
(19:00 – 24:00) |
FY-3A |
CMA |
10:00 (D)
836 km |
27 May 2008 |
AHRPT/MPT VIRR, MERSI, MWRI, IRAS, MWTS, MWHS, TOU/SBUS, SEM, ERM |
| Metop-A (Op) |
EUMETSAT |
21:30 (A)
837 km |
19 Oct 2006 |
Operational. HRPT and LRPT not functional. EUMETCast ADM |
| NOAA-17 (B) |
NOAA |
9:22 (D)
810 km |
6/2002 |
Functional. AMSU-A1 failed. DTR5 Failed February 2003. STX3 output power degraded to inoperable level. STX1 diminished performance. |
| DMSP-F15 (B) |
NOAA |
19:37 (A)
850 km |
12/1999 |
Defence satellite. SSMT2 (microwave water vapour sounder) non-functional. Data available to civilian users through NOAA. |
| DMSP-F16 (Op) |
NOAA |
20:04 (A)
850 km |
10/2003 |
Defence satellite. SSMIS. Data available to civilian users through NOAA. |
| METEOR-M N1 |
ROS-HYDROMET |
09:30 (D)
835 km |
17 Sep 2009 |
HRPT, LRPT.
Commissioning ongoing. |
Sun-synchronous
local “afternoon” orbit
(12:00 – 17:00)
(00:00 – 05:00) |
NOAA-16 (B) |
NOAA |
17:57 (A)
849 km |
09/2000 |
Functional, no APT, no LAC. Intermittent problems with AVHRR. |
| NOAA-18 (B) |
NOAA |
13:45 (A)
854 km |
5/2005 |
Functional. Noise on HIRS long wave channels. 7 June 2009 MIMU-2 failure (loss of redundancy) |
| NOAA-19 (Op) |
NOAA |
13:51 (A)
870 km |
6 Feb 2009 |
Primary pm spacecraft as per 2 June 2009, part of IJPS. Functional. Noise on MHS Channel H3. |
| DMSP-F12 (L) |
NOAA |
15:35 (A)
850 km |
8/1994 |
Defence Satellite. SSMI (microwave imager) and SSMT1 non-functional. Non-operational (no onboard recorders). Decommissioned October 2008. |
| DMSP-F19 (P) |
NOAA |
19:59 (A)
850 km |
18 Oct 2009 |
Defence satellite.
SSMIS. Data available to civilian users through NOAA. |
Non-sun synchronous
orbit |
OSTM/Jason-2
(Ocean Surface Topography Mission) |
CNES
EUMETSAT
NASA
NOAA |
(66° inclin.)
1336 km |
20/06/2008 |
Follow-on of Jason-1. Sea surface topography measurement. Global ocean circulation for climate prediction. |
Current Geostationary Satellites Coordinated within CGMS
| Sector |
Satellites currently
in orbit (+type)
P: Pre-operational
Op: Operational
B: Back-up
L: Limited
availability |
Operator |
Location |
Launch date |
Status |
West–Pacific
(108°E-180°E) |
MTSAT-1R (Op) |
JMA |
140°E |
26 Feb 2005 |
Fully Functional |
| MTSAT-2 (B) |
JMA |
145°E |
18 Feb 2006 |
Multifunctional Transport Satellite (in-orbit back-up to MTSAT-1R until 2010 thereafter operational) |
| FY-2E |
CMA |
123°E |
23 Dec 2008 |
5 channel VISSR, |
East-Pacific
(180°W- 108°W) |
GOES-11 (Op) |
NOAA |
135°W |
3 May 2000 |
Operational GOES-West spacecraft since 28 Jun 2006. X-Ray Positioner failed February 2008. |
| GOES-14 (P) |
NOAA |
89.5° W |
27 Jun 2009 |
Currently off but remains Earth pointing for operation of the XRS. The NOAA post launch science test took place from November 30, 2009 to January 4, 2010. |
| GOES-15 |
NOAA |
89.5° W |
04 Mar 2010 |
In post-launch testing. |
West-Atlantic
(108°W-36°W) |
GOES-10 |
NOAA |
60° W |
04/1997 |
Decommissioned
December 1, 2009. |
| GOES-12 (Op) |
NOAA |
75°W |
07/2001 |
SXI Imaging suspended indefinitely April 2007. X-Ray Positioner failed April 2007.
Will be taken out of GOES-East ops on April 14, 2010. GOES-12 will be moved to 60W to operate as GOES-South America by May 11, 2010. |
| GOES-13 (B) |
NOAA |
Drifting from 105°W to 75W |
16 May 2006 |
XRS/EUV instrument had a capacitor failure rendering unit inoperable.
Executing a GOES-East schedule as of February 1, 2010. GOES-13 will be drifted to 75W and become GOES-East ops on April 14, 2010. |
East-Atlantic
(36°W-36°E) |
Meteosat-8 (B) |
EUMETSAT |
9.5°E |
28 Aug 2002 |
No LRIT. Back-up to Meteosat-9. Rapid scanning service. EUMETCast ADM. |
| Meteosat-9 (Op) |
EUMETSAT |
0°W |
21 Dec 2005 |
Primary s/c. Fully operational. EUMETCast ADM. |
Indian
Ocean
(36°E-108°E) |
FY-2C (Op) |
CMA |
105°E |
19 Oct 2004 |
S-VISSR (improved), DCS, SEM. Expected end of service >2009 |
| FY-2D (Op) |
CMA |
86.5°E |
15 Nov 2006 |
S-VISSR (improved), DCS, SEM. |
| Meteosat-6 (B) |
EUMETSAT |
67.5°E |
11/1993 |
Functional. Back-up to Meteosat-7. DCP mission support. EUMETCast ADM.
Likely to be de-orbited in 2010. |
| GOMS-N1 (L) |
Roshydromet |
76°E |
11/1994 |
Since 09/1998 in stand-by |
| Meteosat-7 (Op) |
EUMETSAT |
57.5°E |
02/1997 |
Functional. IODC coverage committed till end 2013. EUMETCast ADM. |
| INSAT 3-C (L) |
IMD |
74°E |
24 Jan 2002 |
No meteorological payload. Used for dissemination of processed meteorological data in broadcast mode in S-Band only over India and neighbouring countries. No WEFAX broadcast capability in L-band. |
Kalpana-1 (Op)
(formerly METSAT) |
IMD |
74°E |
20 Sep 2002 |
Dedicated meteorological satellite.
- Monitoring cyclones & monsoon
- CMV Winds
- OLR
- Rainfall Estimation
Working satisfactorily. |
| INSAT-3A (Op) |
IMD |
93.5°E |
10 Apr 2003 |
- Monitoring cyclones & monsoon
- CMV Winds
- OLR
- Rainfall Estimation
- Mesoscale features
- Flood/intense precipitation advisory
- Snow detection
Operational since 24 Apr 2003. A 3-channel VHRR imager and CCD payload available for use similar to INSAT-2-E. |
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