NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Once NOAA-N Prime achieved orbit and was operational, it was renamed "NOAA-19" and NASA handed over the control of the Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite (POES) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These are photos from that event.

Image above: Kathleen A. Kelly NOAA/NESDIS Director, Office of Satellite Operations signs concurrence to the letter from Mary S. Walker POES Deputy Project Manager at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. completing the 21-day NOAA-N Prime activation period, which starts the evaluation phase transition to NOAA operations. NOAA expects to be ready with the approximately 161 operational products within 90 days from the February 6, 2009 launch.
Credit: NOAA/NESDIS, Thomas Kleespies


Image above: Mary S. Walker POES Deputy Project Manager, NASA Goddard, signs the letter handing over NOAA-N Prime (now NOAA-19) to NOAA for operational control.
Credit: NOAA/NESDIS, Thomas Kleespies


Image above: Following the handover of NOAA-N Prime (now NOAA-19) from NASA control to NOAA control a ceremonial cake was cut. Pictured from left to right are: Kathleen A. Kelly NOAA/NESDIS Director, Office of Satellite Operations; Mike Mignogno NOAA/NESDIS Polar Program Manager; Mary S. Walker Goddard POES Deputy Project Manager; and Robert Wayne McIntyre Goddard POES Project Manager.
Credit: NOAA/NESDIS, Thomas Kleespies


Thomas Wrublewski
Goddard Space Flight Center