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The GOES-R series magnetometers provide observations of the Earth's magnetic field at geostationary orbit for operational use by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center. The GOES-R spacecraft use arcjet thrusters for orbital stationkeeping, and the partially ionized thruster plume creates a relatively large (~20 nT) disturbance in the magnetometer data. This study presents a correction algorithm that removes the arcjet signal from the magnetometer data. The algorithm is based on an observed linear relationship between the arcjet disturbance and the ambient magnetic field. We estimate correction parameters using data from GOES-16 (the first spacecraft of the GOES-R series), evaluate the uncertainties in the corrected data during arcjet events, and discuss limitations and considerations for arcjet correction in the GOES-R series magnetometers.

The The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16 observatory was launched on 19 November 2016. During daily on-orbit operations, shadowing of the inboard magnetometer sensor unit occurs due to spacecraft geometry and solar angle. Throughout the shadowing periods of the inboard magnetometer, anomalous excursions of 20 nanotesla (nT) are observed. In addition to the excursions during shadow events, the measurement difference between the inboard and outboard magnetometer varies over the day, indicating erroneous measurements by one or both magnetometers. In addition, based on the deployment rotations, the zero offsets of the X and Y axes were found to be significantly different, ~30nT, from ground calibration data.Because of these observations, an extensive root cause investigation was undertaken to correct the magnetometer system for the next spacecraft in the GOES-R series. This paper documents the efforts of that activity and the lessons learned as a result of the investigation.