Month: January 2018

Centaur Upper Stage Arrives at Delta Operations Center

Under the watchful eyes of technicians and engineers, the Centaur upper stage that will help launch NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S, or GOES-S, is lifted from its transporter inside the Delta Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for further processing.
Under the watchful eyes of technicians and engineers, the Centaur upper stage that will help launch NOAA’s GOES-S spacecraft is lifted from its transporter inside the Delta Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The Centaur upper stage, part of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will help launch NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S, is in place for prelaunch processing. The Centaur arrived at the Delta Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Jan. 24, two days after its delivery by ship to nearby Port Canaveral.

GOES-S is the second in a series of four advanced geostationary weather satellites. The GOES-R series – consisting of the GOES-R, GOES-S, GOES-T and GOES-U spacecraft – will significantly improve the detection and observation of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property and the nation’s economic health and prosperity. GOES-S is slated to launch aboard the Atlas V rocket March 1.

Atlas V Booster, Centaur Arrive for GOES-S

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster and Centaur stage for NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) are offloaded from the Mariner transport ship at the Army Wharf at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster and Centaur stage for NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) are offloaded from the Mariner transport ship at the Army Wharf at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Leif Heimbold
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster for NOAA's GOES-S mission arrives at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center near Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster for NOAA’s GOES-S mission arrives at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center near Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Leif Heimbold

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster and Centaur stage for NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) arrived this week at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The Mariner transport ship delivered the components to the Army Wharf at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Atlas V booster was moved to the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center near Space Launch Complex 41; the Centaur was taken to the Delta Operations Center.

GOES-S is the second in a series of four advanced geostationary weather satellites. The satellite is slated to launch aboard the Atlas V rocket March 1.

NOAA’s GOES-S Spacecraft Prepares for Encapsulation

NOAA's GOES-S weather satellite is prepared for encapsulation in its payload fairing inside Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida.
NOAA’s GOES-S weather satellite is prepared for encapsulation in its payload fairing inside Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Technicians and engineers prepare NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S, or GOES-S, for encapsulation in its payload fairing inside a clean room at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida. After encapsulation, the weather satellite will be moved to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. GOES-S is the second in a series of four advanced geostationary weather satellites. The GOES-R series – consisting of the GOES-R, GOES-S, GOES-T and GOES-U spacecraft – will significantly improve the detection and observation of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property and the nation’s economic health and prosperity. GOES-S is slated to launch March 1, 2018 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.