NASA and SpaceX have announced a new launch date for the GOES-U satellite, the fourth and final satellite in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) – R Series. The launch is now scheduled for Tuesday, June 25, following the identification of a liquid oxygen leak during routine testing in February, which required repairs and testing of the Falcon Heavy core booster.
The GOES-R Series Program, overseen by NOAA, is managed through an integrated NOAA-NASA office, with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center handling the acquisition of the spacecraft and instruments. The launch services for the GOES missions are managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program, while Lockheed Martin designs, builds, and tests the GOES-R series satellites. L3Harris Technologies provides the primary instrument, the Advanced Baseline Imager, and the ground system.
With the new launch date set, GOES-U is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The satellite will join the existing GOES constellation, supporting NOAA’s efforts in monitoring and forecasting weather, as well as environmental events.
