GOES ABI and Rocket Launches

By Tim Schmit • 21 December 2021

Recent rocket launches as seen by NOAA‘s GOES ABI. More on the multi-spectral ‘rocket plume’ RGB: quick guide and CIMSS Satellite Blog post. Or this post on seeing the Landsat launch.

December 21, 2021 from Kennedy Space Center

“Rocket plume RGB on December 21, 2021.

#ICYMI: This morning at 5:07am ET, @SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft lifted off from Launch Complex 39A to begin its journey to deliver cargo & holiday treats to the @Space_Station.

Dragon will arrive tomorrow, Dec. 22 at ~4:30am ET. Coverage begins at 3am ET: https://t.co/KGdMz6kWsn pic.twitter.com/trSWURke2J
— NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) December 21, 2021

December 19, 2021 from Kennedy Space Center

Also from Cape Canaveral, but right on the edge of the meso-scale sector! (and as an animated gif).

“Rocket plume” RGB from December 19, 2021.

#SpaceX is targeting Saturday, December 18 for launch of the #Turksat 5B mission to geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 90-minute launch window opens at 10:58 p.m. EST, or 3:58 UTC on December 19 pic.twitter.com/OqlI6yvDy8
— SpaceX Tracker (@spacextracker) December 18, 2021

December 18, 2021 from Vandenberg Space Force Base

A view from GOES-17 (animated gif), note more striping due to increased instrument noise.

“Rocket plume RGB on December 18, 2021.

Did you see the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg SFB early this morning? Did you know that our geostationary satellites can "see" them too? Check it out, #GOES17 picked up on an intense heat signature from its liftoff at 442am PST/1242 UTC! ???? #CAwx #rocket #nerdtweet pic.twitter.com/GPdYkYSDZc
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) December 18, 2021

H/T

NOAA GOES-16 and -17 ABI data are via the University of Wisconsin-Madison SSEC Satellite Data Services. These images were made using the geo2grid software, developed at the UW/SSEC. More GOES-16 and -17 imagery and other information, including the SIFT software developed at UW/SSEC to quickly test RGB changes.

Categories: General interpretation, Geo2Grid, GOES-16, GOES-17, Rocket signatures