Next-Generation GeoXO Lightning Mapper
enhances capabilities of NOAA's next-generation weather satellite
system
DENVER, Sept. 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has awarded Lockheed Martin
(NYSE: LMT) a contract to design and build the next-generation
GeoXO Lightning Mapper (LMX) instruments for the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The baseline contract is
valued at approximately $297 million
for two instruments with options for two additional
instruments.
The Capabilities
LMX is a single-channel, near-infrared optical instrument
developed specifically to detect, locate, and measure the
intensity, duration and extent of lightning flashes in
near-real-time.
The LMX instrument detects and measures lightning flashes while
onboard NOAA's next-generation GeoXO weather satellites. This
lightning data will provide persistent severe weather observations
of the Western Hemisphere, improving storm analysis and prediction,
and aiding the detection of tornado-producing storms. The imagers
will improve hurricane intensity calculations, lightning hazard
detection, wildfire ignition detection and aviation threat
avoidance.
LMX builds on the work of the first operational lightning mapper
flown in geostationary orbit — the Lockheed Martin-built
Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM). Specifically, LMX will
improve on GLM with finer spatial resolution and faster imaging of
lightning activity, in addition to a wider field of view of the
Western Hemisphere, which will now include Alaska. Lockheed
Martin will develop and build the LMX instruments at its
Sunnyvale, California,
facility.
"Lockheed Martin improved upon the success of the Geostationary
Lighting Mapper and added game-changing technologies to the GeoXO
Lightning Mapper, including an advanced imaging sensor that will
potentially detect 25% more lightning pulses," said Matthew Mahlman, director of Weather, Earth
Science and Climate Intelligence at Lockheed Martin. "This advanced
technology will give meteorologists a tool to create greater
lead time in alerting people to severe storms and dangerous weather
situations such as rapid intensifying hurricanes."
Building on Success
The GeoXO weather satellite system is NOAA's next generation of
satellites following the successful Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellites (GOES) series – the last of which, GOES-U,
launched on June 25, 2024. That
satellite is now in geostationary orbit undergoing on-orbit
checkout and verification and is has been renamed GOES-19.
In June, NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to develop and
build the GeoXO spacecraft, for NOAA. The baseline contract is for
three spacecraft with options for four additional spacecraft. The
total estimated value of the contract including options is
$2.27 billion and first launch is
planned for the early 2030s.
For over 50 years, Lockheed Martin has designed and built more
than 120 weather and environmental spacecraft, and many Earth
observation instruments for civil government, military and
commercial applications. These one-of-a-kind instruments include
the Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) – which is flying on the GOES-R
series satellites – as well the as the Interface Region Imaging
Spectrograph (IRIS) and James Webb Space Telescope's primary
infrared imager, NIRCam.
About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is
a global defense technology company driving innovation and
advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions
and 21st Century Security vision accelerate the delivery of
transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay
ahead of ready. More information
at Lockheedmartin.com.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin