Saved By A Weather Satellite

  • Released Monday, May 24, 2010
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The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) have the ability to constantly oversee a large area of the Earth and send real time data to users. GOES sends not only weather data but it also watches the sun continuously and at the same time provides critical data that helps rescue personal locate victims in distress.

This is a story about an incredibly challenging rescue that took place on January 2nd, 2010, 250 miles off the shore of North Carolina.Dennis Clements was on his way to the Caribbean when severe weather struck and damaged his boat leaving him alone in the middle of the frigid Atlantic Ocean. Miraculously, after an hour floating in the cold water, he bumped into a life raft thrown by the US Coast Guard and shortly after that he was pulled out by a Navy rescue diver. The USS Eisenhower was on its way to Afghanistan when they heard the Coast Guard's call for help. Dennis was saved thanks to a distress signal sent from his emergency beacon (EPIRB) to the GOES satellite shortly before he was dragged under water.

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For More Information

See http://www.nasa.gov/goes-p

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Monday, May 24, 2010.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:54 PM EDT.

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Tapes

This visualization originally appeared on the following tapes:
  • GOES Search And Rescue (ID: 2010030)
    Monday, March 22, 2010 at 4:00AM