The arrival of GOES-U in Florida is a critical step in a series of complex operations leading up to its launch. After offloading, the satellite was transported to the nearby Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville. Here, it will undergo a series of final checkouts and processing steps crucial for its upcoming mission. According to Rex Engelhardt, GOES-U mission manager for NASA's Launch Services Program, "GOES is a special circumstance because it's a series of missions." He emphasized the accrued expertise and reliability brought to the process by a team experienced in handling such advanced missions.
An essential aspect of the pre-launch preparations involves fueling the satellite with approximately 5,000 pounds of hypergolic propellants, a step vital for its estimated 15-year operational life in orbit. Following the testing and fueling, the spacecraft will be encapsulated within a protective payload fairing and then transported to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at NASA Kennedy, in anticipation of its launch scheduled no earlier than Tuesday, April 30. The chosen launch vehicle for this mission is the renowned SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
GOES-U is not just another satellite; it carries a suite of seven instruments, including a novel Compact Coronagraph-1 (CCOR-1). This instrument is particularly notable for its role in the NOAA's Space Weather Follow On mission. CCOR-1 is designed to observe the Sun's corona, detecting large plasma explosions that could lead to geomagnetic solar storms. These storms have the potential to disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication and navigation systems. The advanced warning capabilities provided by CCOR-1, potentially up to four days ahead of such events, are crucial for mitigating their impacts.
The GOES-R Series, including GOES-U, represents a significant leap forward in environmental monitoring and weather forecasting. These satellites have been instrumental in providing data for predicting, observing, and tracking local weather events that affect public safety, such as thunderstorms, hurricanes, wildfires, and solar storms. With plans to operate these satellites into the 2030s, NOAA has already begun working with NASA to develop the next generation of geostationary satellites, dubbed Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO). This future initiative aims to continue and expand upon the crucial observations provided by the current generation of satellites.
Renee Falden, program executive in the Joint Agency Satellite Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, highlighted the collaborative effort between NASA and NOAA, stating, "The GOES-R program demonstrates the tremendous value of NASA's longstanding collaboration with NOAA." She indicated that the best aspects of this partnership would be carried forward into the GeoXO program, which promises to generate new data streams for a broad community of users across the country.
The GOES-U mission's successful execution is a collaborative effort involving numerous parties. NASA's Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, is managing the launch service, while NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center oversees the acquisition of the spacecraft and instruments. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is responsible for designing, building, and testing the GOES-R series satellites. L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) provides the primary instrument, the Advanced Baseline Imager, along with the ground system, including the antenna system for data reception.
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