Powerful GOES-U weather satellite launched into orbit by Falcon Heavy rocket

NASA has made a significant advancement in weather monitoring with the successful launch of the fourth and final satellite in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Advanced Weather Satellite series. The satellite, named Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-U (GOES-U), was launched Tuesday from Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

A crucial technological advance for meteorological and environmental monitoring

Once operational in geostationary orbit at about 36,000 km Above Earth, GOES-U will play a crucial role in providing continuous coverage of weather and environmental conditions across much of the Western Hemisphere. Areas of concern include theNorth Americaincluding Mexico, as well as Central America, South America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean to the west coast of Africa. The data collected by these satellites is essential for preparing for severe storms, detecting wildfires and more, thereby building resilience to climate change and protecting humanity from weather hazards. In addition to its terrestrial weather monitoring capabilities, GOES-U is equipped to predicting space weather which can affect the satellites’ electronic systems, GPS and radio communications. The satellite also carries a new instrument, the Compact Coronagraph-1, designed to block out the Sun’s bright light and allow scientists to observe the Sun’s fainter atmosphere. The GOES-R Series programwhich includes GOES-U, is overseen by NOAA through an integrated NOAA-NASA office. Lockheed Martin designed, built and tested the satellites in this series, while L3Harris Technologies is providing the primary payloads.

And ten for the Falcon Heavy

On the launch side, NASA and NOAA have once again placed their trust in SpaceX and its rocket Falcon HeavyThis launcher, consisting of three modified Falcon 9 first stage boosters, thus forming a triple core configuration, offers an initial thrust of more than 2,200 tonnes, equivalent to about eighteen Boeing 747s taking off. This robust design allows the Falcon Heavy to carry massive payloads into geostationary orbit, making the launch of satellites like GOES-U possible. This was the tenth flight of the rocket since its introduction in 2018. The two lateral boosters then returned to land successfully at Cape Canaveral, as evidenced by these always impressive images: In short, the launch of GOES-U marks a new era in meteorological and environmental monitoring by strengthening the ability of forecasters to anticipate and respond to extreme weather events, while providing crucial data for climate research and the protection of Western populations.