NOAA’s GOES-T Reaches Geostationary Orbit, Now Designated GOES-18

GOES-T Reaches Geostationary Orbit, Now Designated GOES-18 On March 14, 2022, GOES-T executed its final engine burn, placing the satellite in geostationary orbit 22,236 miles above Earth. Upon reaching this milestone, GOES-T was renamed GOES-18. GOES satellites are designated with a letter prior to launch and a number once they achieve geostationary orbit. NOAA’s GOES-T satellite launched on […]

GOES-T Launch Photos

Photographer Nicholas D’Allesandro graciously allowed me to share a few of his AMAZING launch photos. Also included are a few press photo’s from NASA, NOAA, and United Launch Alliance. Preview in new tab The Last view of GOES-T ~ SPACECRAFT SEPERATION!T+plus 3 hours, 32 minutes, 55 seconds.

GOES-T Launch a success!

GOES-T, soon to be GOES-18, was successfully launched on March 1, 2022, at 4:38 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida aboard an Atlas V 541 rocket. It was United Launch Alliance’s 149th mission, the 38th for Launch Services Program, and the 92nd launch of Atlas V. The Atlas […]

GOES-T Roll Out and Fueling

GOES-T on the Launchpad After Rollout GOES-T was rolled out to the launchpad from the ULA Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) on Feb. 28, 2022. Photos by United Launch Alliance Atlas RP-1 Loading Begins Fueling of the Atlas V first stage is underway at Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex-41. The launch team is pumping 25,000 gallons […]

GOES-T Launch COUNTDOWN

ATLAS V TO LAUNCH GOES-T Atlas V GOES-T Mission Profile A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 rocket passed the Launch Readiness Review on Feb 26th, and will launch Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) –T mission for NOAA, NASA and NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP). The launch is planned for March 1st from Space […]

GOES-T Mated to Atlas-V

G’Day Mate – GOES-T Mated to Atlas-V Thursday and Friday, February 17 and 18 marked the transport from the Aerotech Building to the Verticle Launch Assembly platform of NOAA’s GOES-T spacecraft. GOES-T was transported to the VLA aboard United Launch Alliance’s 72 wheeled spacecraft transporter. The spacecraft, encapsulated in the rocket’s 17.7-foot (5.4-meter) out-of-autoclave (OoA) […]

GOES-T Encapsulated inside payload fairings

Payload Encapsulation The United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairings are being secured around NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida. The payload fairing (PLF) provides a controlled, safe environment for spacecraft during ascent. This will be the last view of GOES-T here on earth! Photo credit: […]

Atlas V assembled to launch GOES-T

Atlas V 541 rocket Assembly United Launch Alliance (ULA) technicians have assembled the Atlas V 541 rocket to launch the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-T spacecraft. Assembly of the rocket, designated AV-095, began on Jan. 31, 2022, The 107-foot (33-meter) long first stage was delivered to the VIF, hoisted […]