NOAA’s GOES-U satellite set for launch on Tuesday

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2 years ago

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will launch the GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-U) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This satellite, the final installment in the GOES-R series, is pivotal for monitoring both Earth and space weather.

The GOES-U team has spent years building the instruments and spacecraft, integrating all of the satellite’s components, and conducting rigorous testing to make sure it can withstand the harsh conditions of launch and residing 22,236 miles above Earth.

The launch, executed by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, is scheduled within a two-hour window beginning at 5:16 p.m. EDT.

GOES-19 will provide early warning of severe weather.

The GOES-U satellite will enhance continuous coverage of the Western Hemisphere, with a particular focus on tracking tropical systems in the eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather-observing and environmental monitoring system allows continuous monitoring that is crucial for scientists and forecasters to issue timely warnings and forecasts, safeguarding the one billion people living and working in the Americas.

In addition to weather monitoring, GOES-U is equipped with a new compact coronagraph designed to image the Sun’s outer atmosphere and detect coronal mass ejections, offering valuable data on space weather.

This animation depicts the areas of the Earth viewed by GOES East and GOES West from their vantage point 22,236 miles above the equator. NOAA maintains a two-satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) constellation to watch over the Western Hemisphere. The satellites circle the Earth in geosynchronous orbit, which means they orbit the Earth’s equatorial plane at a speed matching the Earth’s rotation. This allows them to stay in a fixed position in the sky, remaining stationary with respect to a point on the ground. GOES-16 serves at as NOAA’s GOES East satellite, located at 75.2 degrees west longitude. GOES-S, GOES-16’s sister satellite, scheduled for launch in March 2018, will be renamed GOES-17 upon reaching geostationary orbit. GOES-17 will take its place as NOAA’s operational GOES West satellite in late 2018. In the GOES West position, GOES-17 will be located at 137 degrees west longitude. Together, GOES-16 and GOES-17 will keep an eye on the Western Hemisphere’s atmosphere, weather patterns and environmental hazards from the west coast of Africa all the way to New Zealand.

The GOES-R Series also provides advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and space weather observations.

NASA has organized extensive prelaunch and launch coverage for the event. On June 24, 2024, a prelaunch show by NASA EDGE will be available on NASA’s digital platforms.

9:30 a.m. – NASA EDGE GOES-U prelaunch show on NASA+, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

Later that morning, a science briefing will feature participants including Charles Webb, Deputy Director of NASA’s Joint Agency Satellite Division, and Ken Graham, Director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. This briefing will be streamed live on multiple platforms, providing insights into the scientific objectives and technological advancements of the GOES-U mission.

GOES-19 will provide critical data for identifying and tracking environmental hazards.

Coverage of the science news conference will stream live on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

In the afternoon, a NASA Social panel at Kennedy Space Center will engage experts from NASA, NOAA, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris Technologies in a discussion about the mission. This session will also be streamed live, offering the public a chance to interact by posting questions online. The day will conclude with a prelaunch news conference featuring representatives from NASA, NOAA, SpaceX, and the U.S. Space Force, who will provide updates on the launch readiness and expected outcomes.

The panel will stream live on NASA Kennedy’s YouTube, X and Facebook accounts. Members of the public may ask questions online by posting to the YouTube, X, and Facebook live streams or using #AskNASA.

On the day of the launch, June 25, media will have the opportunity for one-on-one interviews with key personnel from NOAA and NASA, including Michael Morgan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, and Michael Brennan, Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center. These interviews will provide deeper insights into the mission’s significance and expected impact on weather forecasting and space weather observation.

NASA’s comprehensive launch coverage will begin at 4:15 p.m. EDT, streaming on NASA+, the agency’s website, and other digital channels.

The launch itself, scheduled within a two-hour window starting at 5:16 p.m. EDT, marks a significant milestone in the advancement of satellite technology for environmental monitoring.

For those unable to attend in person, NASA offers a virtual guest program, which includes curated resources and live updates. The public is encouraged to engage with the mission on social media using the hashtags #ReadyToGOES and #NASASocial, and follow the relevant accounts on platforms such as X, Facebook, and Instagram for real-time updates and behind-the-scenes content.

For further information about the GOES-U mission, interested parties can visit NASA’s official GOES-U page.

Looking forward, NOAA is working with NASA to develop the next generation of operational satellites in geostationary orbit, called Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO). GeoXO will provide new and improved observations of the atmosphere, weather, and ocean to help address emerging environmental issues, respond to the effects of Earth’s changing climate, and improve forecasting and warning of severe weather and hazards.

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