Topic: GOES-8 to GOES-12 Transition Plan
Message Issued: March 11, 2003, 1715 UTC (update of previous messages)
Satellites Impacted: GOES-8 and GOES-12
Products Impacted: GOES-8 and GOES-12 Imager and Sounder Data and
Associated Products including AWIPS
Date/Time of Initial Impact: Ongoing for pre-operational period, April
01, 1815 UTC for operational usage.

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Details:

***GOES-12 is scheduled to replace GOES-8 as the GOES-East operational
spacecraft on April 01, 2003***
The transition will take place beginning with the 1815 UTC Northern
Hemisphere scan.

**This email updates the daily longitude location of GOES-12 at the
bottom of this message.  Also information on additional routine and
rapid scan testing for GOES-12 imager testing is found here**

*Additional routine and rapid scan imagery from GOES-12 (as opposed to
current full disk schedules as found at
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/GOES/EAST/g12sched.html ) will be run to
test ingest and processing equipment. Routine scans (the current GOES-8
scans as found at  http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/GOES/EAST/sched.html
) will begin on March 12 at 1445Z and continue through 2114Z on March
13. Rapid scan imagery (per GOES-8 schedule) will run at 1545Z - 1844Z
on both March 12 and 13.  However, Keep Out Zone and Eclipse conditions
will cause cancellations of imagery from 0445Z-0645Z on both March 12
and 13. GOES-12 eclipse schedules can be found at
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/eclipse.html . Users acquiring GOES-12
via GVAR direct readout will be able to view the test data.

Additional information on these plans may be found at
http://www.oso.noaa.gov/goes/index.htm  under "GOES-8 to GOES-12
Transition Plan"

This message is to provide additional information on a planned
transition from GOES-8 to GOES-12 as the operational GOES-East
spacecraft. ***GOES-12 is scheduled to replace GOES-8 as the GOES-East
operational spacecraft on April 01, 2003 at 1815 UTC***. Recall that
there are significant differences on GOES-12 as compared to GOES-8
through GOES-11 (6.7 micron water vapor channel resolution improves from
8 km to 4 km and 12.0 micron band at 4km is replaced with 13.3 micron
band at 8km.  Additional information can be found at:
http://www.osd.noaa.gov/Gvar/gvardownload.htm ).  These differences may
require adjustments to ground station equipment.

The plans developed are intended to cause as few disruptions to all
users who need to acquire the GOES-12 GVAR signal via a ground antenna,
while also allowing for the acquisition of GOES-12 GVAR data for 2
months prior to becoming operational to revalidate ingesting equipment
and product generation.

An up to date synopsis:

(1) GOES-12 has been flowing limited Imager and sounder data since
January 16th.  As of January 24th, these data are navigated and
calibrated, following a standard schedule that can be found at
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/  Users currently pointing their ingest
antennas to GOES-12 are able to receive GOES-12 GVAR data.  Twice a day
location information for GOES-12 is found below in this message.  Users
accessing satellite imagery via McIDAS server at SATEPS can do so via
the GCR Dataloc (contact me for more information).

(2) Imagery from 01/24/03 through 03/31/03 will be provided for advanced
users, such as the Satellite Services Division, to acquire data and
re-validate  products (note - schedules during this time will be mostly
continuous half hourly full disk).

(3) As GOES-12 arrives at 81W, GOES-12 data is flowed through GOES-8
communication links, thus, GOES-12 data is operational but received
through GOES-8 downlink (4/01/03) Users point to GOES-8 to receive
GOES-12 data.  At this point GOES-12 data are considered operational,
but should significant problems occur, GOES-8 data can be reestablished
quickly.

(4) As GOES-12 is within 1 degree of GOES-8, turn off GOES-8 signal, and
acquire GOES-12 data directly from GOES-12, not GOES-8.  Users should
not need to repoint their antenna, as the two satellites are very close.

(5) Switch ancillary communication services (DCS, WEFAX, EMWIN, SAR)
from GOES-8 to GOES-12 on 04/22/03.

These intricate steps are necessary to provide a continuous flow of
data, with minimal impact to users. There should be no need to readjust
antenna unless there is a desire to acquire GOES-12 data prior to
GOES-12 becoming operational.  With the wavelength and resolution
changes to GOES-12, it is suggested that users take advantage of the pre
operational phase from 01/24/03 through 03/31/03.

Twice a day GOES-12 Position Location
Month/Day  HR(UTC)  Lat  Lon

310 00 0.06N 88.26W
310 12 0.06S 88.13W
311 00 0.06N 87.95W
311 12 0.05S 87.82W
312 00 0.05N 87.64W
312 12 0.05S 87.51W
313 00 0.04N 87.33W
313 12 0.04S 87.20W
314 00 0.04N 87.02W
314 12 0.03S 86.89W
315 00 0.03N 86.71W
315 12 0.02S 86.58W
316 00 0.02N 86.40W
316 12 0.01S 86.27W
317 00 0.01N 86.10W
317 12 0.01S 85.97W
318 00 0.00N 85.79W
318 12 0.00N 85.67W
319 00 0.00S 85.49W
319 12 0.01N 85.36W
320 00 0.01S 85.19W
320 12 0.01N 85.06W
321 00 0.01S 84.89W
321 12 0.02N 84.76W
322 00 0.02S 84.59W
322 12 0.02N 84.46W
323 00 0.02S 84.29W
323 12 0.02N 84.16W
324 00 0.03S 83.99W
324 12 0.03N 83.86W
325 00 0.03S 83.69W
325 12 0.03N 83.56W
326 00 0.04S 83.39W
326 12 0.04N 83.26W
327 00 0.04S 83.10W
327 12 0.04N 82.96W
328 00 0.05S 82.80W
328 12 0.05N 82.66W
329 00 0.05S 82.50W
329 12 0.06N 82.37W
330 00 0.06S 82.21W


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