The fourth L3Harris-built Advanced Baseline Imager being integrated onto the GOES-U satellite, scheduled to launch in 2024. Photo: L3Harris

L3Harris Technologies’ fourth Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) has been successfully integrated into National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) GOES-U satellite, the company announced Monday. 

GOES-U — Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-U — is part of the GOES series that provides imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s Western Hemisphere, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and monitoring of solar activity and space weather. 

The ABIs onboard the GOES series of satellites provide weather observation and environmental monitoring services, with advanced notice of fires, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. The ABI provides high-resolution video of weather and environmental systems using 16 spectral bands. L3Harris said the ABI can achieve resolution four times greater and five times faster than previous satellites. 

The satellite is slated to launch in 2024. L3Harris also built the third ABI for the GOES-T satellite, which is scheduled to launch March 1, 2022.