NOAA-15
Meteorological satellite NOAA K (15) being readied for launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Names | NOAA-K | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission type | Weather | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | NOAA | ||||||||||||||||||
| COSPAR ID | 1998-030A | ||||||||||||||||||
| SATCAT no. | 25338 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mission duration | 2 years (planned) 27 years, 1 month and 4 days (in progress) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft type | TIROS | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bus | Advanced TIROS-N | ||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin | ||||||||||||||||||
| Launch mass | 2,232 kg (4,921 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dry mass | 1,479 kg (3,261 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Power | 833 watts | ||||||||||||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||||||||||||
| Launch date | 13 May 1998, 15:52:04 UTC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rocket | Titan 23G Star-37XFP-ISS (Titan 23G S/N G-12) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Launch site | Vandenberg, SLC-4W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Contractor | Lockheed Martin | ||||||||||||||||||
| Entered service | 15 December 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||||||||||||
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit | ||||||||||||||||||
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit | ||||||||||||||||||
| Perigee altitude | 808.0 km (502.1 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Apogee altitude | 824.0 km (512.0 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inclination | 98.70° | ||||||||||||||||||
| Period | 101.20 minutes | ||||||||||||||||||
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_prior_to_launch.jpg){kind=link}
NOAA-15, also known as NOAA-K before launch, is an operational, polar-orbiting of the NASA-provided Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) series of weather forecasting satellite operated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA-15 was the latest in the Advanced TIROS-N (ATN) series. It provided support to environmental monitoring by complementing the NOAA/NESS Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite program (GOES).