NOAA's GOES-T Satellite Road to Launch: Final Preparations

GOES-T Transported for Mate to Launch Vehicle

Download GOES-T Image

NOAA’s GOES-T, the third in the GOES-R Series of advanced weather observing and environmental monitoring satellites, arrived in Florida on November 10, 2021, to begin final preparations for launch.

GOES-T is scheduled to launch aboard an Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on March 1, 2022, joining its sister satellite, GOES-16.

Data from GOES-T will help meteorologists see the big picture as well as read the fine print, providing critical real-time information before, during, and after severe weather and disasters strike.

NOAA’s GOES-T satellite is in view inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2022, as it is being prepared for encapsulation in the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairings. The fairings will secure and protect the satellite during launch. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Fairing Image

GOES-T was transported from Littleton, Colorado, to a clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facility in Titusville, Florida, where it was unpacked from its journey.

Upon reaching geostationary orbit after launch, GOES-T will be renamed GOES-18. After it completes checkout of its instruments and systems, the new satellite will go into operation as GOES West, replacing the current GOES-17. In the GOES West position, GOES-18 will watch over the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean extending to New Zealand. The satellite will be ideally located to detect and monitor weather systems and environmental hazards that most affect this region of the Western Hemisphere, including wildfires, atmospheric rivers, coastal fog, dust storms, and volcanic eruptions. GOES-18 will also monitor the sun for solar eruptions and detect space weather hazards that can disrupt communications, navigation systems, and power utilities on Earth.

NOAA oversees the GOES-R Series Program through an integrated NOAA-NASA office, operating the satellites, managing the ground system, and distributing the satellite data to users worldwide. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center oversees the acquisition of the GOES-R spacecraft and instruments and NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, launches the satellites. Lockheed Martin designs, builds, and tests the GOES-R Series satellites. L3Harris Technologies provides the main instrument payload, the Advanced Baseline Imager, along with the ground system, which includes the antenna system for data reception.

Photo Postcards of GOES-T's Journey

GOES-T in Astrotech Clean Room

NOAA’s GOES-T satellite is in view inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Jan. 20, 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Satellite Image

GOES-T Satellite Processing Team at Astrotech

Dressed in clean-room suits, satellite processing team members stand in front of NOAA’s GOES-T satellite inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Jan. 20, 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Team Image

GOES-T Launch Vehicle Lifted to Stand

United Launch Alliance (ULA) hoists its Atlas V booster into the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 31, 2022. The rocket will launch NOAA’s GOES-T satellite for NASA’s Launch Services Program. The Atlas V first stage booster is the backbone of the launch vehicle. It holds the fuel and oxygen tanks that feed the engine for powering the spacecraft into orbit. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Atlas V Image

GOES-T Launch Vehicle on Stand

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V booster that will help launch GOES-T into space was placed on its stand in the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 31, 2022. Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Atlas V Booster Image

GOES-T Fairing Inspection

In preparation for NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) to be encapsulated in its protective fairing, members of the GOES-T team inspect and clean the fairing at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida on Jan. 28, 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Download GOES-T Prep Image

GOES-T Spacecraft Move to Encapsulation Bay

Technicians move NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Jan. 28, 2022. The spacecraft is being prepared for encapsulation inside its protective payload fairing. The fairing will protect GOES-T on its ascent into orbit. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Download Relocation Image

GOES-T Preparing for Encapsulation

NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) is secured on a work stand inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Jan. 28, 2022, as it is being prepared for encapsulation in its fairing. The fairing will protect GOES-T on its ascent into orbit. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Download Prep Stand Image

Atas V Centaur Transported to Vertical Integration Facility

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Centaur upper stage is transported to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Feb. 7, 2022. The Centaur was hoisted atop the Atlas V rocket that will launch NOAA's GOES-T satellite on March 1, 2022. The Centaur upper stage is the launch vehicle’s “brain,” providing guidance and flight control and containing fuel and an oxidizer to insert the vehicle into orbit. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Centaur Image

Atlas Centaur Hoisted Atop Rocket

United Launch Alliance (ULA) hoists its Centaur upper stage atop the Atlas V rocket that will launch NOAA's GOES-T satellite. The Centaur upper stage is the launch vehicle’s “brain,” providing guidance and flight control and containing fuel and an oxidizer to insert the vehicle into orbit. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Hoisted Centaur Image

GOES-T Satellite Encapsulation

A technician inspects the first half of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairing for NOAA’s GOES-T satellite inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2022. The satellite will be secured inside the payload fairing, which will protect it during launch. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Fairings Image

GOES-T satellite Preparing for Encapsulation

NOAA’s GOES-T satellite is in view inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2022, as it is being prepared for encapsulation in the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairings. The fairings will protect the satellite during launch. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Prep Image

GOES-T in Payload Fairing

A technician performs an inspection of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairings as they are secured around NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2022. The payload fairings will secure and protect the satellite during launch. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Inspection Image

GOES-T Encapsulated in Rocket Fairing

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairings are being secured around NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T) inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2022. The payload fairings will secure and protect the satellite during launch. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Download Payload Fairing Image

GOES-T Arrives for Mate to Launch Vehicle

The payload fairing containing NOAA’s GOES-T satellite, secured on a transporter, arrives at the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The fairing-encapsulated GOES-T spacecraft was mated with the launch vehicle on Feb. 17, 2022. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Transport Image

Crane Lifts GOES-T for Mate to Launch Vehicle

The payload fairing containing NOAA's GOES-T satellite was lifted by crane and moved into the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The fairing was mated to the ULA Atlas V rocket on Feb. 17, 2022. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Lifted GOES-R Image

GOES-T Mated to Launch Vehicle

NOAA’s GOES-T satellite is mounted atop its ride to space, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, on Feb. 17, 2022. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Download Mounted GOES-R Image

Visit the GOES-T Launch Page