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Review Gives GOES-R ‘Go’ for Launch

GOES-R Rotation to VerticalManagers from NASA, NOAA, USAF 45th Space Wing and United Launch Alliance  gave a unanimous “go” for launch of the GOES-R spacecraft Saturday at 5:42 p.m. EST on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The decision followed this morning’s launch readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Weather forecasters predict a 90 percent chance of favorable weather for the 1-hour launch window Saturday at Space Launch Complex 41. A prelaunch news conference will be televised at 1 p.m. today on NASA Television’s Public Channel. Afterward, a NOAA GOES-R mission briefing will air on NASA Television’s Media Channel.

The GOES-R spacecraft is shown above during processing at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, near Kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Charles Babir

GOES-R, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mission, is the first spacecraft in a new series of NASA-built advanced geostationary weather satellites. Once in geostationary orbit, GOES-R will be known as GOES-16 and will provide images of weather patterns and severe storms as regularly as every five minutes or as frequently as every 30 seconds. These images can be used to aid in weather forecasts, severe weather outlooks, watches and warnings, lightning conditions, maritime forecasts and aviation forecasts. It also will assist in longer term forecasting, such as in seasonal predictions and drought outlooks. In addition, space weather conditions will be monitored constantly, including the effects of solar flares to provide advance notice of potential communication and navigation disruptions. It also will assist researchers in understanding the interactions between land, oceans, the atmosphere and climate.

Forecast Improves to 90 Percent ‘Go’ for Saturday

GOES-R Lift and MateWeather forecasters from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron are predicting a 90 percent chance of favorable weather for the one-hour launch window Saturday at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for the liftoff of the GOES-R spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The spacecraft is seen above in processing as it was lifted to the top of the Atlas V.

GOES-R, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mission, is the first spacecraft in a new series of NASA-built advanced geostationary weather satellites. Once in geostationary orbit, GOES-R will be known as GOES-16 and will provide images of weather patterns and severe storms as regularly as every five minutes or as frequently as every 30 seconds. These images can be used to aid in weather forecasts, severe weather outlooks, watches and warnings, lightning conditions, maritime forecasts and aviation forecasts. It also will assist in longer term forecasting, such as in seasonal predictions and drought outlooks. In addition, space weather conditions will be monitored constantly, including the effects of solar flares to provide advance notice of potential communication and navigation disruptions. It also will assist researchers in understanding the interactions between land, oceans, the atmosphere and climate.

A prelaunch news conference will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday on NASA Television’s Public Channel. Following the prelaunch news conference at 2 p.m., a NOAA GOES-R mission briefing will air on NASA Television’s Media Channel. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

GOES-R Set to Lift Off Nov. 19

Team members with United Launch Alliance (ULA) prepare the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) for encapsulation in the payload fairing inside the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida near NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Team members with United Launch Alliance (ULA) prepare the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) for encapsulation in the payload fairing inside the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. GOES-R will be the first satellite in a series of next-generation NOAA GOES Satellites. The spacecraft is to launch aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket in November. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

An Atlas V rocket is set to lift off Nov. 19 at 5:42 p.m. EST to deliver NOAA’s latest-generation weather satellite, GOES-R, into orbit. NASA is conducting the launch through its Launch Services Program. United Launch Alliance engineers are processing the rocket at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of launch. After several months of processing at Astrotech in Titusville, Florida, the GOES-R spacecraft has been encapsulated inside a payload fairing for protection during the climb through Earth’s atmosphere on the way to orbit. Carrying the most advanced sensors of their kind, the GOES-R spacecraft will fly more than 22,000 miles above Earth where it will offer weather forecasters an unblinking eye on conditions on the planet below.