ULA gets the nod to launch GOES-T satellite
The Atlas V with GOES-R before launch. Photo Credit: Chris Giersch / NASA Edge
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA has selected a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket to ferry the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-T to orbit.
“ULA is pleased once again to be selected to launch a GOES mission and we look forward to working with our mission partners from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for this important launch,” said Tory Bruno, ULA’s president and chief executive officer. “ULA and its heritage vehicles have a long history with the GOES Program and have launched all 17 operational missions to date.”
The space agency’s Launch Services Program selected the Atlas V (in its next-to-most powerful iteration, the 541) to push the satellite through Earth’s dense atmosphere.
If everything goes as it currently envisioned, GOES-T should be launch in December of 2021 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 located in Florida.
United Launch Alliance was selected via a competitive Launch Service Task Order evaluation via the NASA Launch Services II contract.
GOES-T is designed to provide weather (to include solar and space) and is the third of the next generation weather satellites that NASA is launching on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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