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ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the GOES-S weather satellite mission for NASA and NOAA is rolled from the Vertical Integration Facility to Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on Feb. 28, 2018. Launch set for Mar. 1, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com |
Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com — 28 Feb 2018
KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER, FL – At T minus 1 day, all systems are GO for the March 1 dinnertime liftoff
of the NOAA/NASA GOES-S geostationary weather observation satellite that will be
carried to orbit on a ULA Atlas V rocket from the Florida Space Coast and deliver
a quantum leap in weather forecasting for the western United States.
CENTER, FL – At T minus 1 day, all systems are GO for the March 1 dinnertime liftoff
of the NOAA/NASA GOES-S geostationary weather observation satellite that will be
carried to orbit on a ULA Atlas V rocket from the Florida Space Coast and deliver
a quantum leap in weather forecasting for the western United States.
Everything is looking good with the GOES-S spacecraft and
Atlas V and we are go for liftoff,” Tim
Gasparrini, GOES-S program manager for Lockheed Martin, told Space Up
Close during an interview today, Feb. 28, at the KSC press site a day before launch.
Atlas V and we are go for liftoff,” Tim
Gasparrini, GOES-S program manager for Lockheed Martin, told Space Up
Close during an interview today, Feb. 28, at the KSC press site a day before launch.
GOES-S was built by prime contractor
Lockheed Martin Space Systems,
Littleton, Colorado.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems,
Littleton, Colorado.
The mission has
passed the Launch Readiness Review (LRR) said mission managers from the launch
team comprising NASA, NOAA, ULA, Lockheed Martin and the 45th Space
Wing.
passed the Launch Readiness Review (LRR) said mission managers from the launch
team comprising NASA, NOAA, ULA, Lockheed Martin and the 45th Space
Wing.
Liftoff of the NOAA/NASA GOES-S
geostationary weather observation satellite is scheduled for Thursday, March 1, 2018, near sunset at 5:02 p.m. EST aboard a United Launch Alliance
(ULA) Atlas V rocket from seaside Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station in Florida.
geostationary weather observation satellite is scheduled for Thursday, March 1, 2018, near sunset at 5:02 p.m. EST aboard a United Launch Alliance
(ULA) Atlas V rocket from seaside Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station in Florida.
The launch window extends for two
hours from 5:02 – 7:02 p.m. EST.
It will be
delivered to geostationary orbit soaring some 22,200 mi (35800 km) above Earth. You can watch the launch via a live
broadcast on NASA TV beginning at 4:30
p.m. March 1 with additional commentary on the NASA launch blog.
hours from 5:02 – 7:02 p.m. EST.
It will be
delivered to geostationary orbit soaring some 22,200 mi (35800 km) above Earth. You can watch the launch via a live
broadcast on NASA TV beginning at 4:30
p.m. March 1 with additional commentary on the NASA launch blog.
You can
watch the launch live at NASA TV at: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
watch the launch live at NASA TV at: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
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ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the GOES-S weather satellite mission for NASA and NOAA is rolled from the Vertical Integration Facility to Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on Feb. 28, 2018. Launch set for Mar. 1, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com |
Furthermore,
Thursday’s launch weather outlook is rather promising for this next generation
weather satellite years in the making.
Thursday’s launch weather outlook is rather promising for this next generation
weather satellite years in the making.
The latest L Minus 1 day weather
forecast shows a 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for
Thursday’s near sunset blastoff at launch time, said U.S. Air Force Air Force Meteorologist Kathy Winters with the 45th
Space Wing Weather Squadron on Patrick Air Force Base.
forecast shows a 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for
Thursday’s near sunset blastoff at launch time, said U.S. Air Force Air Force Meteorologist Kathy Winters with the 45th
Space Wing Weather Squadron on Patrick Air Force Base.
The primary concerns are for Cumulous
Clouds and Ground Winds.
Clouds and Ground Winds.
In case of a delay for any reason
technical or weather the backup launch opportunity is Friday, March 2 at 5:02
p.m.
technical or weather the backup launch opportunity is Friday, March 2 at 5:02
p.m.
The weather forecast is again 80 percent
favorable. The primary concern is Cumulous Clouds.
favorable. The primary concern is Cumulous Clouds.
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ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the GOES-S weather satellite mission for NASA and NOAA rolled out to Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on Feb. 28, 2018 and is poised for launch Mar. 1, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com |
And the
liftoff should be spectacular! – Since its targeted for shortly before sunset which
is often prime time for witnessing the best and most beautiful skywatching for launches
that the space coast has to offer.
liftoff should be spectacular! – Since its targeted for shortly before sunset which
is often prime time for witnessing the best and most beautiful skywatching for launches
that the space coast has to offer.
So come on down if you can – as so many already have!
GOES-S, which stands for
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite–S, is a new and advanced
transformational weather satellite that will vastly enhance the quality, speed
and accuracy of weather forecasting available to forecasters for Earth’s
Western Hemisphere after it becomes operational later this year.
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite–S, is a new and advanced
transformational weather satellite that will vastly enhance the quality, speed
and accuracy of weather forecasting available to forecasters for Earth’s
Western Hemisphere after it becomes operational later this year.
Once it achieves
orbit GOES-S will be renamed as GOES-17/GOES West.
orbit GOES-S will be renamed as GOES-17/GOES West.
“What we want is the complement of 2 imaging spacecraft on
orbit and the GOES-17 launch will do that as the second new GOES spacecraft in
orbit,” FL, Tim
Walsh, acting GOES-R system program director at NOAA told
Space UpClose during a recent interview with reporters in the cleanroom with
the spacecraft at Astrotech
Space Operations in Titusville, Fl, where technicians were actively processing
the probe to ready it ahead of this week’s thunderous launch.
orbit and the GOES-17 launch will do that as the second new GOES spacecraft in
orbit,” FL, Tim
Walsh, acting GOES-R system program director at NOAA told
Space UpClose during a recent interview with reporters in the cleanroom with
the spacecraft at Astrotech
Space Operations in Titusville, Fl, where technicians were actively processing
the probe to ready it ahead of this week’s thunderous launch.
“GOES 17 will complete the complement on orbit for NOAA.”
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Up close view of nose cone housing NASA/NOAA GOES-S
weather satellite atop ULA Atlas V rocket on Feb. 28, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com |
GOES-S is the twin
sister observatory to GOES-R, which launched late in 2016 and recently became
operational – and was renamed the GOES-16/GOES East satellite for the eastern
US at its geostationary orbit soaring some 22,200 mi (35800 km) above Earth.
sister observatory to GOES-R, which launched late in 2016 and recently became
operational – and was renamed the GOES-16/GOES East satellite for the eastern
US at its geostationary orbit soaring some 22,200 mi (35800 km) above Earth.
“GOES 17 will become operation in the fall of 2018, “ Walsh
stated. “It will give us the equivalent perspective for the western US that we
now have for the eastern US using the six onboard instruments namely ABI and
GLM, SUVI, EXIS, SEIS and the magnetometer.”
stated. “It will give us the equivalent perspective for the western US that we
now have for the eastern US using the six onboard instruments namely ABI and
GLM, SUVI, EXIS, SEIS and the magnetometer.”
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| The NASA/NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) is being processed in the clean room at Astrotech Space Operations, in Titusville, FL, on Jan. 16, in advance of planned launch on a ULA Atlas V slated for Mar. 1, 2018. GOES-S belongs to new constellation of America’s most advanced weather satellites. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com |
GOES-S is the second in the new
GOES-R series of America’s most powerful and most advanced next generation geostationary weather observation
satellites. It is designed to last for a
15 year orbital lifetime and will deliver a ‘quantum leap’ in weather
forecasting.
GOES-R series of America’s most powerful and most advanced next generation geostationary weather observation
satellites. It is designed to last for a
15 year orbital lifetime and will deliver a ‘quantum leap’ in weather
forecasting.
The GOES-R series (including GOES-S)
science suite includes the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM),
Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI), Extreme Ultraviolet and X-Ray Irradiance
Sensors (EXIS), Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS), and the Magnetometer
(MAG).
science suite includes the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM),
Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI), Extreme Ultraviolet and X-Ray Irradiance
Sensors (EXIS), Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS), and the Magnetometer
(MAG).
ABI is the primary instrument and will collect 3 times more spectral data with 4 times greater
resolution and scans 5 times faster than ever before – via the primary Advanced
Baseline Imager (ABI) instrument – compared to the current GOES satellites.
The gigantic school bus sized satellite measures 6.1 m x 5.6 m x 3.9 m (20.0 ft x 18.4 ft x
12.8 ft) with a three-axis
stabilized spacecraft bus.
12.8 ft) with a three-axis
stabilized spacecraft bus.
It has a dry mass of 2,857 kg (6,299 lbs) and a fueled mass of 5,192 kg
(11,446 lbs) at launch.
(11,446 lbs) at launch.
GOES-S will blastoff on a ULA Atlas
V in the very powerful 541 configuration, augmented by four solid rocket
boosters on the first stage. The payload
fairing is 5 meters (16.4 feet) in diameter and the upper stage is powered
by a single-engine Centaur.
V in the very powerful 541 configuration, augmented by four solid rocket
boosters on the first stage. The payload
fairing is 5 meters (16.4 feet) in diameter and the upper stage is powered
by a single-engine Centaur.
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX,
ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission
reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
Florida.
ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission
reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
Florida.
Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing
Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com –
twitter @ken_kremer – ken
at kenkremer.com
Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com –
twitter @ken_kremer – ken
at kenkremer.com
