Lockheed Martin developed the Geostationay Lightning Mapper (GLM) device, which will enhance severe storms alerts and tornado warnings.
The sensor will be part of the next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) mission. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created GOES satellites to provide weather forecasting, severe-storm tracking and meteorological research.
The satellite carrying GLM is expected to be launched in early 2016 and will employ lightning as a reliable indicator of severe weather. GLM's technology has been developed from the Lightning Imaging Sensor used on NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission.
Russell Katz, GLM's deputy programme manager said: “A rapid increase of in-cloud lightning can precede severe weather on the ground. Changes in that type of lightning can also give us a better understanding of the updraft strength in thunderstorms”.
