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WG3K > ANS 30.06.24 16:31l 54 Lines 4530 Bytes #6 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS182.3
Read: GUEST
Subj: SpaceX Falcon Heavy Successfully Launches GOES-U Satellite
Path: IZ3LSV<DB0ERF<DK0WUE<DK0WUE<N2NOV<K7EK<KA1VSC<WG3K
Sent: 240630/1523Z 5799@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
On June 25, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket successfully lifted off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A at 5:26 p.m. Ea
stern, carrying the GOES-U weather satellite, the final spacecraft in a series of geostationary weather satellites. This launch
featured several notable firsts, overcoming previous weather forecasts that had predicted only a 30% chance of favorable condi
tions.
The GOES-U satellite, successfully deployed from the Falcon Heavy's second stage four and a half hours after liftoff, after the
stage completed a sequence of three burns to place the satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. Built by Lockheed Martin
for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), GOES-U will be renamed GOES-19 upon reaching geostationary orb
it. After on-orbit commissioning, it will be positioned at 75 degrees east in geostationary orbit, taking over from GOES-16 as
the operational GOES-East satellite.
GOES-U carries a suite of earth and space science instruments similar to its predecessors but includes the new Compact Coronagr
aph (CCOR) instrument for solar observation. CCOR will monitor the solar corona for flares and coronal mass ejections, a crucia
l function for understanding space weather. This role was previously filled by the nearly 30-year-old Solar and Heliospheric Ob
servatory spacecraft.
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GOES-U lifts off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A on June 25th, 2024. [Credit: SpaceX]
The GOES-R series, which began with a launch in 2016, has significantly improved weather forecasting. Ken Graham, director of t
he National Weather Service, stated at a pre-launch briefing, "The GOES-R series of satellites, it's been a gamechanger for us.
" The satellites have enabled new and improved forecasts, warnings, and services that help save lives and protect property.
Among the enhancements in the GOES-R series is a lightning mapper. Pam Sullivan, director of the GOES-R program at NOAA, highli
ghted its impact, saying it allows meteorologists to better understand storm severity and issue more accurate warnings. "The ma
in thing I hear from forecasters is that they have more confidence in a forecast," she noted.
NOAA is already planning the next generation of geostationary weather satellites, called GeoXO, set to begin launching in 2032.
Contracts have been awarded to Lockheed Martin for satellite construction and BAE Systems for sounder and ocean color instrume
nts. Steve Volz, assistant administrator of NOAA's Satellite and Information Service, described GOES-U as "the bridge that conn
ects today's geostationary satellite technology with the technology of tomorrow."
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NOAA's GOES-U satellite undergoing testing by Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado. [Credit: Lockheed Martin]
The launch was marked by the synchronized landings of the two Falcon Heavy side boosters at Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canav
eral Space Force Station. This mission was also the first time NOAA launched a GOES weather satellite on a SpaceX rocket. The t
hree previous GOES-R satellites launched on Atlas 5 rockets from United Launch Alliance (ULA), but SpaceX was awarded the $152.
5 million contract for the GOES-U launch in September 2021 after ULA withdrew due to a lack of available Atlas rockets.
The Falcon Heavy's additional performance is a key advantage. Julianna Scheiman, director of NASA science missions at SpaceX, e
xplained that the rocket's capability allows for a significant delta V reduction, meaning the spacecraft requires less energy t
o reach its final orbit. This efficiency translates into fuel savings and extended operational life for GOES-U, which has a des
ign specification of 15 years. "With the added capability Falcon Heavy is giving us, we expect to be at 20-plus years of fuel l
ife," said NOAA's Sullivan.
The GOES-U launch marked the 10th overall for the Falcon Heavy and the second contracted by NASA, following the Psyche asteroid
mission in October 2023. Another Falcon Heavy is set to launch NASA's Europa Clipper mission this October, continuing SpaceX's
role in advancing space exploration and weather monitoring capabilities.
[ANS thanks Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, for the above information]
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