GOES-U Launch Date and Time – NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for a critical launch on Tuesday, June 25th. Their two-hour target window opens at 5:16 p.m. EDT
UPDATE: June 18th 2024
GOES-U Prepares for Launch: Media Gets a Close Look
On June 6th, NASA facilitated a media viewing of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite U (GOES-U). This final satellite in the GOES-R series is scheduled to launch later this month.
Experts from involved agencies provided an overview of the mission and answered questions about GOES-U’s capabilities. The satellite will play a vital role in assisting meteorologists with weather prediction and environmental monitoring for Earth and space weather.
This event offered media a final look at GOES-U before its launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The launch window opens at 5:16 PM EDT on Tuesday, June 25th, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After various phases of Post-Launch Testing and data product evaluations, the GOES-U satellite is expected to begin operation as GOES-19 on April 4, 2025, replacing GOES-16 in the GOES-East role at Longitude 75.2°W. GOES-U will carry the same instrument suite as GOES-18, plus a new solar Compact CORonagraph (CCOR).
Mark your calendars! NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for a critical launch on Tuesday, June 25th. Their two-hour target window opens at 5:16 p.m. EDT, and all eyes will be on Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida. This launch pad has a long history of supporting important missions, including Apollo 11. This launch will see a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket take to the skies, carrying the payload.
The Falcon Heavy, known for its impressive thrust, is the perfect muscle for this mission. It will propel a highly sophisticated satellite named GOES-U into orbit. This will be the 10th launch overall for this powerful rocket, designed for carrying heavy payloads into space.
Here’s what GOES-U will bring to the table:
- Advanced Imagery: GOES-U will capture incredibly detailed images of Earth’s weather systems, providing forecasters with a clearer picture of developing storms, cloud patterns, and atmospheric conditions.
- Precise Measurements: Packed with cutting-edge instruments, GOES-U will measure atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity with exceptional accuracy. This data is vital for weather prediction models.
- Real-time Lightning Tracking: This satellite boasts the ability to map lightning activity in real-time, allowing for better warnings and improved public safety during storms.
- Space Weather Watchdog: GOES-U will keep a watchful eye on the sun, specifically its outer atmosphere. By detecting and characterizing solar flares and coronal mass ejections, it can warn us of potential disruptions to our power grids and communication systems.
The launch of GOES-U is a significant event, and its success will play a crucial role in keeping us informed and safe from severe weather events. Stay tuned for further updates as the launch date approaches!
Once GOES-U reaches orbit, and after a successful checkout, it will be renamed GOES-19. Following a successful on-orbit checkout of its instruments and systems, NOAA plans to put GOES-19 into operational service, replacing GOES-16 as GOES East. GOES-19 will work in tandem with GOES-18 (GOES West). GOES-16 will become an on- orbit spare.
Patch graphic by Lukas C. H.
