# NOAA-16

> defunct American weather satellite which broke up in orbit

**Wikidata**: [Q4044978](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4044978)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOAA-16)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/noaa-16

## Summary
NOAA-16 was a defunct American weather satellite that operated as part of the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) constellation. Launched in 2000, it provided critical meteorological data until its decommissioning in 2014 and subsequent breakup in orbit in 2015.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: September 21, 2000, at 10:22 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 West.
- **Operator**: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
- **Manufacturer**: Lockheed Martin.
- **Mass**: 2,232 kg (launch weight), 1,479 kg (dry weight).
- **Orbit**: Sun-synchronous orbit.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Titan 23G (serial number 23G-13).
- **Decommissioned**: June 9, 2014.
- **Breakup in Orbit**: November 25, 2015.
- **Part of**: Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) constellation.
- **Preceded by**: NOAA-15.
- **Followed by**: NOAA-17.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of NOAA-16?
A: NOAA-16 was a weather satellite designed to collect meteorological data, including atmospheric temperature, humidity, and cloud cover, as part of the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) program.

### Q: When was NOAA-16 launched and decommissioned?
A: NOAA-16 was launched on September 21, 2000, and decommissioned on June 9, 2014.

### Q: What happened to NOAA-16 after decommissioning?
A: After decommissioning, NOAA-16 broke up in orbit on November 25, 2015, creating space debris.

### Q: Who operated NOAA-16?
A: NOAA-16 was operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

### Q: What was the launch vehicle for NOAA-16?
A: NOAA-16 was launched using a Titan 23G rocket.

## Why It Matters
NOAA-16 played a crucial role in global weather monitoring and environmental data collection. As part of the POES constellation, it provided essential data for weather forecasting, climate research, and environmental monitoring. Its observations helped improve the accuracy of weather predictions and contributed to our understanding of Earth's atmosphere and climate systems. The satellite's decommissioning and subsequent breakup highlight the challenges of space debris management, an increasingly important issue as more satellites are launched into orbit.

## Notable For
- **Part of POES Constellation**: NOAA-16 was a key component of the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites, a constellation dedicated to global weather monitoring.
- **Advanced TIROS-N Class**: It was an Advanced TIROS-N class satellite, known for its advanced meteorological instrumentation.
- **Long Operational Life**: Operated for nearly 14 years before decommissioning.
- **Space Debris Incident**: Its breakup in orbit in 2015 contributed to the growing problem of space debris.
- **High-Resolution Data**: Provided high-resolution atmospheric and environmental data critical for weather forecasting and climate research.

## Body
### Overview
NOAA-16 was a weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was part of the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) constellation, which is designed to provide global weather data.

### Launch and Orbit
- **Launch Date**: September 21, 2000, at 10:22 UTC.
- **Launch Site**: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 West.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Titan 23G (serial number 23G-13).
- **Orbit**: Sun-synchronous orbit, allowing it to observe the entire Earth's surface twice daily.

### Specifications
- **Mass**: 2,232 kg at launch, 1,479 kg dry weight.
- **Power Source**: Spacecraft solar array generating 833 watts.
- **Manufacturer**: Lockheed Martin.

### Operational History
- **Operational Period**: From September 21, 2000, to June 9, 2014.
- **Decommissioning**: June 9, 2014.
- **Breakup in Orbit**: November 25, 2015, creating space debris.

### Relationships
- **Preceded by**: NOAA-15.
- **Followed by**: NOAA-17.
- **Part of**: Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) constellation.

### Significance
NOAA-16 contributed significantly to weather forecasting and climate research. Its data was used to improve the accuracy of weather predictions and to monitor environmental changes. The satellite's breakup in orbit highlights the challenges associated with space debris and the need for effective space traffic management.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "NOAA-16",
  "description": "Defunct American weather satellite which broke up in orbit.",
  "url": "https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/satellites/view/338",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206855",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOAA-16"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Satellite"
}

## References

1. [Source](http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt)
2. [Source](https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/satellites/view/338)
3. [Source](https://spacenews.com/noaa-weather-satellite-suffers-in-orbit-breakup/)