NASA successfully launched the fourth and final satellite in a series of advanced weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Tuesday at 5:26 p.m. EDT. GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) will benefit the nation by providing continuous coverage of weather and hazardous environmental conditions over much of the Western Hemisphere.
“As communities across the country and the world feel the effects of extreme weather, satellites like GOES-U are closely monitoring the weather in real time,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA and NOAA have worked together for decades to bring critical data back to Earth to prepare for severe storms, wildfire detection and much more. This fleet of advanced satellites strengthens resilience to our changing climate and protects humanity from weathering on Earth and in space.
In addition to its critical role in terrestrial weather forecasting, the GOES constellation of satellites helps forecasters predict near-Earth space weather that can interfere with satellite electronics, GPS and radio communications. The GOES-U satellite exceeds the capabilities of its predecessors with a new space weather instrument, the Compact Coronograph-1, which blocks bright sunlight so scientists can observe the relatively faint solar atmosphere.
“There are so many applications for GOES data—many of which directly affect our daily lives here on Earth,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “GOES-U will contribute to the global data record, enable NASA and NOAA to monitor changes in our climate, as well as provide critical information before severe weather and natural disasters strike. NASA looks forward to reconnecting with NOAA as we enter a new generation of Earth observation satellites.”
Once GOES-U is in geostationary orbit, about 22,200 miles above Earth, it will be renamed GOES-19. After a successful in-orbit inspection of its instruments and systems, GOES-19 will be put into operation and will monitor weather over most of North America, including the neighboring United States and Mexico, as well as Central and South America, the Caribbean, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the west coast of Africa.
“The data that GOES-U will provide is critical to protecting the safety of people in the Western Hemisphere,” said John Gagosian, director of NASA’s Joint Agency Satellite Division. “With this successful launch, forecasters will have a resource to better inform and educate the public.”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland oversaw acquisition of the GOES-R series of spacecraft and instruments and built the magnetometer for GOES-U and its predecessor, GOES-T. Launch Services Program NASA’s Kennedy-based program provided launch control for the mission.
The GOES-R Series program is overseen by NOAA through the NOAA-NASA Integrated Office, which manages the ground system, operates the satellites, and distributes data to users worldwide. Lockheed Martin designs, manufactures and tests the GOES-R series of satellites. L3Harris Technologies provides the instrument’s main payload, the Advanced Baseline Imager, and the ground system, which includes the antenna system for receiving data.
For more information about GOES, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/content/goes
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Liz Vlock
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov
Peter Jacobs
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
301-286-0535
peter.jacobs@nasa.gov
Leejay Lockhart
Kennedy Space Center in Florida
321-747-8310
leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov