A collaboration in between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the GOES-T satellite will be positioned to enjoy over the western contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Following conclusion of a third scheduled start and then cutoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 Centaur main engine, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) satellite separated from the spacecraft and is advancing its journey to help meteorologists observe and predict regional weather condition events, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, fog, hurricanes, flash floods, and other severe weather.
In addition, GOES observations have actually proven handy in monitoring dust storms, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires.
” That is what its everything about– when we get to the spacecraft separation. Its years of work entering into that a person occasion,” stated NASA Launch Director Tim Dunn. “Today, we were blessed with a smooth and effective countdown.”
A joint effort in between NASA and NOAA, GOES-T will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit, changing GOES-17 as GOES West. It will be positioned to see over the western adjoining United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean. The satellite will be preferably located to monitor weather condition systems and dangers that most affect this area of the Western Hemisphere.
GOES-T is about the size of a small school bus and weighs more than 6,000 pounds. Liftoff, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida, occurred right at the top of the two-hour launch window at 4:38 p.m. EST. The launch was handled by NASAs Launch Services Program, based at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
