Kennedy Space Center

3, 2, 1 … LIFTOFF! The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite spacecraft lights up the late afternoon Florida sky as it roars off the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on a joint effort with NASA to help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events.

Stay right here on the blog, or tune in to NASA TV, the NASA app, or the agency’s website to watch the spacecraft and rocket eclipse more launch milestones. Live coverage continues through GOES-T spacecraft separation at approximately 8:30 this evening. The next milestone is main engine cutoff, or MECO, coming in about 10 minutes.

NASA Launch Director Tim Dunn gives the final ‘go’ for NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) launch!

The skies on Florida’s Space Coast soon will be alight as the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket’s Centaur engines fire up to launch the mission into space.

In just about 15 minutes, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket engines will roar to life, sending NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite into space.

Excitement is building as the mission nears launch. A joint effort between NASA and NOAA, GOES-T will help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, fog, hurricanes, flash floods and other severe weather.

If you’re just joining us, liftoff – aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket from Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 – is set for 4:38 p.m. EST. Stay right here, or tune in to NASA TV, the NASA app, or the agency’s website for continuing coverage.

The weather outlook for today’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station remains positive. Weather officials with the Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict an 80% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41.

The launch, which is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is targeted for 4:38 p.m. EST. There is a two-hour launch window.

“Liftoff winds are going to be our primary concern with a smaller concern coming from some of those passing cumulus clouds,” said Arlena Moses, launch weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron.

Tune in to NASA TV, the NASA app, or the agency’s website, starting now for launch day commentary, interviews, and everything you need to know about the launch of today’s GOES-T mission.

You can also stay right here for blog updates throughout today’s launch day milestones. Liftoff, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket, is set for 4:38 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 41.

Here are some fun facts you may not know about National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite and GOES-R Series missions:

• NOAA’s GOES-T is the third satellite in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) – R Series, the Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather observing and environmental monitoring system.
• After GOES-T launches, it will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit. Following a successful on-orbit checkout of its instruments and systems, NOAA plans to put GOES-T immediately into operational service, replacing GOES-17 as GOES West.
• GOES-18 will work in tandem with GOES-16, NOAA’s operational GOES East satellite. Together, GOES-16 and GOES-18 will watch over more than half the globe – from the west coast of Africa to New Zealand. GOES-17 will become an on-orbit spare.
• The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is the primary instrument on the GOES-R Series for imaging Earth’s weather, oceans, and environment. ABI is used for a wide range of applications related to severe weather, hurricanes, aviation, natural hazards, the atmosphere, oceans, and cryosphere. ABI scans Earth five times faster with four times the resolution and three times the number of channels than previous GOES for more accurate and reliable forecasts and severe weather warnings.
• GOES-R satellites carry the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), the first instrument of its kind flown in geostationary orbit. Developing severe storms often exhibit a significant increase in lightning activity and GLM data can help forecasters focus on initial thunderstorm development and intensifying severe storms before they produce damaging winds, hail or even tornadoes.
• GOES-R satellites host a suite of instruments that detect and monitor approaching space weather hazards. The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) and Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) provide imaging of the Sun and detection of solar flares. The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) and Magnetometer monitor, respectively, energetic particles and the magnetic field variations that are associated with space weather. Together, observations from these instruments contribute to space weather forecasts and early warning of disruptions to power utilities and communication and navigation systems as well as radiation damage to orbiting satellites.
• GOES-T will provide the same observations that GOES-R (GOES-16) and GOES-S (GOES-17) do, but with slight modifications to two of the instruments.
• Changes were made to the design of the ABI radiator and loop heat pipes for GOES-T to decrease the chance of future cooling system malfunctions. The new design uses a simpler hardware configuration, which eliminates the filters that are susceptible to debris. GOES-T also carries an upgraded magnetometer instrument. The new magnetometer is expected to provide improved performance for measuring magnetic field variations.

Tune in to NASA TV, the NASA app, or the agency’s website, starting in about 10 minutes, for live broadcast coverage of today’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite mission.

Liftoff, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 41, is targeted for 4:38 p.m. EST. There is a two-hour window for the launch, which is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

GOES-T, a joint effort between NASA and NOAA, will help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events. The satellite will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit. Following a successful on-orbit checkout of its instruments and systems, NOAA plans to put GOES-T immediately into operational service, replacing GOES-17 as GOES West.

Click here to learn more about the GOES-T mission.

Here is a look at some of the key milestones for today’s GOES-T launch:

Mission Timeline (all times approximate)
LAUNCH AND SPACECRAFT DEPLOYMENT
Time                                Events
4:38 p.m. EST               Launch target (two-hour window)
4:50:04 p.m.                 Main Engine Cutoff #1 (MECO1)
5:01:20 p.m.                  Centaur Main Engine Start #2 (MES2)
5:06:57 p.m.                  Centaur Main Engine Cutoff #2 (MECO2)
8:06:04 p.m.                 Centaur Main Engine Start #3 (MES3)
8:07:47 p.m.                  Centaur Main Engine Cutoff #3 (MECO3)
8:32:32 p.m.                  GOES-T Spacecraft Separation

GOES-T’s launch from Cape Canaveral’s Space Force Station in Florida is now less than an hour away. Coverage of launch day activities will continue here on the blog. Also, tune in to NASA TV, the NASA app, or the agency’s website, starting at 4 p.m. EST for a live broadcast. Liftoff, from Space Launch Complex 41, is targeted for 4:38 p.m. EST.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite is the third satellite in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) – R Series, the Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather observing and environmental monitoring system.

A part of the GOES-R series, GOES-T will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit, replacing GOES-17 as GOES West. It will be positioned to watch over the western contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean. The satellite will be ideally located to monitor weather systems and hazards that most affect this region of the Western Hemisphere.

Mission objectives include:

• Supporting the search-and-rescue satellite aided system (SARSAT)
• Contributing to the development of worldwide environmental warning services and enhancements of basic environmental services
• Improving the capability for forecasting and providing real-time warning of solar disturbances
• Providing data that may be used to extend knowledge and understanding of the atmosphere and its processes

Coming up next on the blog is a list of milestones for today’s launch, targeted for 4:38 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 41.

Good afternoon, and welcome to live coverage of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite mission from Florida’s Space Coast!

Standing tall atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket, GOES-T – a joint effort between NASA and NOAA – is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 41 in just about 90 minutes (4:38 p.m. EST). The Launch is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Stay right here for a live blog that will take you straight through the launch day events. Or, tune in to NASA TV, the NASA app, or the agency’s website, starting at 4 p.m. EST, for a live broadcast.

It has been all good news on the weather front thus far, but we will keep you posted on any updates from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron prior to launch of the GOES-T mission to help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, fog, hurricanes, flash floods and other severe weather.