August 21, 2019 โ Persistent problems with the premier sensors of the GOES-R series satellitesโdesigned to provide the next generation of weather observation for North Americaโwere identified before launch and not properly tested or resolved, according to a new inspector general report.
Further, the Commerce Department IG found evidence that program managers changed the evaluation criteria for the contractor after the issues were identifiedโmetrics that would have led to a 40-75% reduction in payment had they remained.
The GOES-R series of satellites includes GOES-16โlaunched November 2016โand GOES-17โlaunched March 2018โas well as the pending GOES-T and GOES-U still in production. The satellite constellation is equipped with a set of next-generation sensors to better predict weather patterns, including the Advanced Baseline Imager, or ABI, the โmost essential instrument for mission success of the GOES-R satellites,โ according to the IG.