Angeline Leishman
A United Launch Alliance rocket is in its final preparation phase for the launch of the third weather observation spacecraft under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series.
The Atlas V rocket will lift off on Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and send the GOES-T satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit, ULA said Saturday.
“GOES-T will be delivered to a geosynchronous transfer orbit, which will place the spacecraft closer to its final destination and conserve the satellite’s fuel supply for a longer mission life,” said Gary Wentz, vice president of government and presidential programs at ULA.
From GEO, the satellite will take imageries, measure the atmosphere, detect and map lightning and monitor space around the Earth’s western hemisphere.
According to Wentz, ULA has been supplying NOAA and NASA with rockets for all 17 GOES missions, making GOES-T the 18th launch it will support.
