![\"GOES-16](\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/03\/170316_goes16_visible_nearIR_shortwaveIR_SpaceX_launch_2_anim.gif\")
<\/a>GOES-16 Visible (0.64 \u00b5m, left),<\/em> Near-Infrared (1.61 \u00b5m, center)<\/em> and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 \u00b5m, right)<\/em> images [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>** The GOES-16 data posted on this page are preliminary, non-operational data and are undergoing testing. **<\/em><\/p>\n Visible and thermal signatures of the SpaceX EchoStar 23<\/strong><\/a> rocket launch were seen with GOES-16 imagery on 16 March 2017<\/strong><\/a>. The set of 3 images above consists of 5-minute CONUS sector scans at 05:54:33 UTC (about 5 minutes before launch),<\/em> 05:59:33 UTC (around launch time)<\/em> and 06:04:33 UTC (about 5 minutes after launch)<\/em>. The 05:59:33 UTC image was actually scanning the NASA Kennedy Space Center (station identifier KXMR)\u00a0 area at 06:00:38 UTC, just after the 06:00 UTC launch time. A faint bright glow of the rocket booster was seen on the 0.5-km resolution Visible (0.64 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) image; the 1-km resolution Near-Infrared (1.61 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) rocket signature was much brighter, because this spectral band senses radiation from both visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum (which of the two was a stronger contributor to the bright signal is difficult to determine); the 2-km resolution Shortwave Infrared (3.9 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) image displayed a warm (dark black enhancement)<\/em> “hot spot”, although it was not exceptionally warm (with a 306.8 K maximum brightness temperature).<\/p>\n A “warm signal” was also observed on the three GOES-16 ABI<\/strong><\/a> Water Vapor bands: Lower-Level (7.3 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>), Mid-Level (6.9 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) and Upper-Level (6.2 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>), as shown below. While water vapor is certainly a by-product of rocket booster combustion, it is important to remember that the Water Vapor bands are first and foremost Infrared<\/em> bands that sense the brightness temperature of a layer<\/em> of moisture (which can vary in both altitude and depth, depending on the temperature\/moisture profile of the atmosphere and\/or the satellite viewing angle). In this case, the atmosphere was relatively dry over the region, with little moisture aloft to attenuate the rocket signature — shifting the roughly-corresponding GOES-13 Sounder (had the GOES-13 Sounder instrument been operational<\/strong><\/a>)<\/em>\u00a0 water vapor weighting functions<\/strong><\/a> (available from this site<\/strong><\/a>) to lower altitudes. However, moisture considerations aside, the rocket signature seen on the 05:59:33 UTC water vapor imagery was primarily a thermal anomaly.<\/p>\n GOES-16 Lower-Level Water Vapor (7.3 \u00b5m, left),<\/em> Mid-Level Water Vapor (6.9 \u00b5m, middle)<\/em> and Upper-Level Water Vapor (6.2 \u00b5m, right)<\/em> images [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>McIDAS-V images of GOES-16 Near-Infrared (1.6 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a> and 2.2 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) data at 05:59:33 UTC (below; <\/strong>courtesy of William Straka, SSEC)<\/strong><\/em> provided another view of the rocket launch signature.<\/p>\n<\/a>