SPACECRAFT DESCRIPTION:
The spacecraft derive from Space System/Loral's communcations
satellites, providing a 3-axis stabilized design. The main body of
the spacecraft is a 2 meter cube, with a deployed length of 27
meters. The spacecraft weighs 5005 pounds. The GOES 12 system
performs the following basic functions: Acquisition, processing,
and dissemination of imaging and sounding data. Acquisition and
dissemination of Space Environment Monitor (SEM) data. Reception
and relay of data from ground-based Data Collection Platforms
(DCPs) that are situated in carefully selected urban and remote
areas to the NOAA Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) station.
Continuous relay of Weather Facsimile (WEFAX) and other data to
users, independent of all other functions. Relay of distress
signals from people, aircraft, or marine vessels to the search and
rescue ground stations of the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided
Tracking (SARSAT) system. It is also the first satellite equipped
with an operational Solar X-ray Imager to detect solar storms.
GOES-12 is located at 90 W longitude, and in post-launch testing of
the instruments. After testing, NOAA will shut it down and keep it
as an "on orbit spare" until GOES-8 of GOES-10 fails. It joins
GOES-11, also in storage.