GOES-East Satellite on the Fritz ...

[STexan]

Just in time for an almost non-existent space program to "be launched", and the beginning of the 2013 hurricane season, we have lost some weather satellite monitoring capability.

For the second time in less than a year, the main satellite that keeps an eye on severe weather systems in the eastern half of the United States has malfunctioned, according to government officials. The failure is indicative of the overall aging of the nation's weather satellite network that could lead to gaps in coverage as the fleet is replaced, an expert said.

NBCNews Story Here

IMO, I'm truly hoping the private sector can quickly pick up the slack. I'm not too keen on relying on the Russians or other foreign government to handle our satellite placement needs.

 

[Zach Young]

Well, for now at least GOES-14 is picking up most of the slack. I don't know if we can rely on the private sector for this sort of thing though, since weather satellites are very expensive, and it would be hard to find very many private companies that are willing to put that much money into something that is essentially a public good. What I truly hope will happen is that the government and people of the US begin to realize the true value of an active and well funded science and space program at start to give it a higher priority.

 

[STexan]

I was led to believe private enterprises such as Richard Branson was going to create "space vehicles" to truck government satellites into space.

 

[rdale]

They probably will. But that has no bearing on GOES.

 

[STexan]

Those new replacement GOES satellites aren't just going to magically appear in Geo-synchronis orbit one day if somebody doesn't get involved in the delivery side of US satellite program(s)

 

[MClarkson]

I was under the impression that the next GOES was already in orbit, just waiting for one of the others to fail.

 

[mkavulich]

I was under the impression that the next GOES was already in orbit, just waiting for one of the others to fail.

GOES-14 is currently filling in for the disabled GOES-13, as it did during the failure last September. After that, however, there is no other backup until the GOES-R goes up in 2015 (unless delays continue).

 

[rdale]

Those new replacement GOES satellites aren't just going to magically appear in Geo-synchronis orbit one day if somebody doesn't get involved in the delivery side of US satellite program(s)

Not magically, but you're confusing several issues. The government already has launchers for the future GOES satellites.