Witness the spectacular liftoff of NOAA’s GOES-U on June 25, 2024, a momentous event captured by SpaceX. On July 7, 2024, this remarkable satellite completed its final engine burn, successfully reaching a geostationary orbit 22,236 miles above Earth’s equator. This achievement marked the renaming of GOES-U to GOES-19, a significant milestone in its journey.
GOES-U embarked on its mission on June 25, 2024, at 5:26 p.m. EDT, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The launch, overseen by NASA’s Launch Services Program, was a testament to human ingenuity and technological advancement.
Following separation from the Falcon Heavy second-stage rocket, GOES-U initiated its operations, with the deployment of its solar array ensuring self-sufficiency. The satellite was placed in a geostationary transfer orbit, setting the stage for its eventual positioning in a circular geostationary orbit over the equator.
As GOES-19 settles into its orbit, preparations are underway for the deployment of its solar array wing, a crucial step in harnessing solar energy to power its operations. With meticulous planning and precision, satellite operators will guide GOES-19 to its designated position, where it will undergo thorough validation and testing of its instruments and systems.
Stay tuned for the next chapter in the journey of GOES-19 as it embarks on its mission to provide vital data and insights from its strategic vantage point in space. Exciting times lie ahead as this cutting-edge satellite fulfills its role in advancing our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and weather patterns.
2024-07-10 13:15:03
Article from phys.org