Advanced weather satellite launches with women leading the mission

Once it arrives, the satellite will send back high-definition data that will help meteorologists improve forecasts.

News 12 Staff

Mar 1, 2022, 12:20 PM

Updated 952 days ago

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It's all systems go for a new weather satellite that just launched into space.
NOAA’s latest weather satellite, GOES-T, lifted off Tuesday.
The satellite will send back high-definition data that will help meteorologists improve forecasts.
As we kick off Women's History Month, we can't ignore the fact that many of the powerhouses leading today's mission are female!
Behind some of the most powerful weather satellites in the world are some of the most dynamic women in the space and science communities.

"Women are now right up there, representing the agency, doing important jobs that people see,” says Candace Carlisle, Flight Program Manager, NASA Goddard.

These leading ladies played a critical role in NOAA's next generation of Geostationary Environmental Satellites, or GOES.

"It's my job to execute in building the primary instrument on the GOES-T spacecraft!" says Jennifer Nix, Director, L3Harris Technologies.

Some of the lead engineers on this mission are female. They help make sure the satellite can withstand whatever comes its way both on Earth and in space.
"They're really setting the example, here I am as a systems engineer on the program as well," says Shelby Mason, Systems Engineer with Lockheed Martin.

There's also a woman managing the program that helps get the rocket off the launchpad.

“All the way through launch, it's a beginning to end position," says Barbara Egan, Program Manager United Launch Alliance.

The flight project manager is also a woman!

“It's the culmination of that multi-year process that is the final countdown and launch,” says Candace Carlisle, Flight Program Manager, NASA Goddard.

In addition, there is a female commander, who oversees everything,  including the satellite's operation in space.
"We're going to spend about two months turning things on and doing the checkout of the instruments and we expect to see the first pictures in May!" says Pam Sullivan, GOES-R System Program Director, NOAA.
A dream team space squad also inspiring our future generations of girls that anything is possible when your dreams are infinite.