20050726: NASA'S GOES-N SATELLITE READY FOR LAUNCH (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 20050726: NASA'S GOES-N SATELLITE READY FOR LAUNCH (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 11:21:24 -0600

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 1:00 PM -0400
From: NASANews@xxxxxxxxxxx

NASA'S GOES-N SATELLITE READY FOR LAUNCH

    NASA announced the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-N 
(GOES-N)
is ready to launch. The GOES-N launch window is from 6:23 to 7:01 p.m. EDT, 
Friday,
July 29, 2005. Liftoff is from Space Launch Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station, Fla.

GOES-N joins a system of weather satellites that provide timely environmental
information to meteorologists and the public. The GOES system graphically 
displays
the intensity, path and size of storms. Early warning of impending severe 
weather
enhances the public's ability to take shelter and protect property.

"NASA is proud to provide this tool for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's (NOAA) use in weather operations," said Martin Davis. He is the
GOES program manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, 
Md.
The GOES system serves the central and eastern Pacific Ocean; North, Central, 
and
South America; and the central and western Atlantic Ocean.

The system includes GOES-10, 11 and 12. GOES-11 is in an on-orbit storage mode.
GOES-N becomes GOES-13 shortly after launch. It will be checked out, stored 
on-orbit
and available for activation should either GOES-10 or 12 fails or exhausts its 
fuel.
The satellite is the first in the GOES N-P series of spacecraft that will
continuously observe and measure meteorological phenomena in real time. The 
series
will provide the meteorological community and atmospheric scientists improved
observational and measurement data.

GOES-N will be launched on a Boeing Delta IV (4, 2) vehicle under an FAA 
commercial
license. The satellite will be turned over to NASA after a successful checkout 
is
completed by Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems.

NOAA manages the GOES program, establishes requirements, provides all funding 
and
distributes environmental satellite data for the United States.

GSFC procures and manages the development and launch of the satellites for NOAA 
on a
cost reimbursable basis. GSFC also manages the design, development and launch of
NOAA satellites. Boeing, acting as lead contractor, built GOES-N.

For more information about the GOES-N mission and program on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/goes-n

http://goespoes.gsfc.nasa.gov

http://www.noaa.gov/

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html


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