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NOUS72 KNCF 240432
ADMNCF
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PLEASE PASS TO MIC/HIC, ESA, ITO, AND SOO
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SUBJ: AWIPS GOES IMAGERY INTERRUPTIONS DUE TO SOLAR KEEPOUT
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EFFECTIVE NOW UNTIL APRIL 30, THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF TIME ROUGHLY AS MUCH AS
THREE HOURS WHEN THE GOES-E AND GOES-W SATELLITES WILL NOT BE PRODUCING IMAGES
DUE TO THEIR POSITION IN RELATION TO THE SUN. BOTH SATELLITES WILL NOT BE
AFFECTED
AT THE SAME TIME. THE SPACECRAFT WILL ALTERNATE TAKING FULL DISC IMAGES TO
ACCOUNT
FOR THE ONE AFFECTED. WHILE TAKING FULL DISC IMAGES, RAPID SCAN OPERATIONS WILL
NOT BE POSSIBLE. IT IS NECESSARY TO TURN OFF IMAGERY FROM THE GOES SATELLITES
DURING
THESE TIMES TO PROTECT THE IMAGERS FROM INTENSE LIGHT GOING INTO AND COMING OUT
OF
THE ECLIPSE PERIODS AND TO CONSERVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER HEATERS DURING THE
TIME
WHEN THE SOLAR PANELS CANNOT ABSORB SUNLIGHT. THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURANCE EACH
SPRING
AND FALL. THE EXACT OUTAGE TIMES ARE POSTED ON THE WEB AT
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/eclipse.html.PS/SM
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NCF