A Boeing Delta IV vehicle has launched from Cape Canaveral at 18:11pm EDT, en route to a geostationary orbit with the GOES-N weather observatory satellite. Spacecraft seperation occured at T+261 minutes.
NASASpaceflight.com covered the launch as a live event, with live updates, images and video (see links in article).
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Spacecraft seperation occured at 10:33pm EDT, 261 minutes after launch.
GOES-N (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) is the latest in a series of Earth monitoring satellites. NASA developed the satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis.
The satellite will launch on a Boeing Delta 4 (4,2 configuration) from Space Launch Complex (SLC 37B) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
GOES provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric ‘triggers’ for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and hurricanes.
The multimission GOES series N-P is the next series of satellites. This series will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations, and science. NASA and the NOAA are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites.
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Currently, the GOES system consists of GOES-12 operating as GOES-East in the eastern part of the constellation at 75 degrees west longitude, and GOES-10 operating as GOES-West at 135 degrees west longitude.
These spacecraft help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, fog, flash floods, and other severe weather. In addition, GOES observations have proven helpful in monitoring dust storms, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires.
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