NASA And NOAA'S GOES-O Satellite Successfully Launched

June 27, 2009

Steve Cole
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918


John Leslie
NOAA, Silver Spring, Md.
301-713-2087


George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468

RELEASE: 09-148

NASA AND NOAA'S GOES-O SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED

WASHINGTON -- The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellite, GOES-O, soared into space today after a successful launch
from Space Launch Complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
in Florida.

The GOES-O spacecraft lifted off at 6:51 p.m. EDT on a Delta IV
rocket. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-O
satellite will improve weather forecasting and monitor environmental
events around the world. The satellite is the second to be launched
in the GOES N series of geostationary environmental weather
satellites.

"All indications are that GOES-O is in a normal orbit, with all
spacecraft systems functioning properly," stated Andre Dress, GOES
deputy project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md. "We are proud of our support teams and pleased with
the performance of the Delta IV launch vehicle."

Approximately 4 hours and 21 minutes after launch, the spacecraft
separated from the launch vehicle. The Universal Space Network
Western Australia tracking site in Dongara monitored the spacecraft
separation.

On July 7, GOES-O will be placed in its final orbit and renamed
GOES-14. Approximately 24 days after launch, Boeing Space and
Intelligence Systems will turn engineering control over to NASA.
About five months later, NASA will transfer operational control of
GOES-14 to NOAA. The satellite will be checked out, stored in orbit
and available for activation should one of the operational GOES
satellites degrade or exhaust its fuel.

NASA contracted with Boeing to build and launch the GOES-O
spacecraft.
NASA's Launch Services Program at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida supported the launch in an advisory role. NOAA manages the
GOES program, establishes requirements, provides all funding and
distributes environmental satellite data for the United States.
Goddard procures and manages the design, development and launch of
the satellites for NOAA on a cost-reimbursable basis.

For more information about the GOES-O mission and program, visit:

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

and

http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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