On March 1 at 20:38 UTC, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 launched the GOES-T spacecraft into high perigee geostationary transfer orbit from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The GOES satellites are operated in geostationary orbit by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. NOAA has been operating weather satellites in geostationary orbit since 1974s Synchronous Meteorological Satellite 1. Geostationary orbit allows satellites to image the entire disk of the planet at once, compared to the tens of kilometer wide strip of satellites in low earth orbits. This allows forecasting of weather patterns around the globe.

GOES-T is part of the GOES-R series of satellites and will replace the previous satellite, GOES-S also known as GOES-17. GOES-S had a problem with its primary instrument, the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), and needed to be replaced as soon as possible. The ABI on GOES-T and the upcoming GOES-U was fixed before launch. In NOAA tradition, the satellite will not be given a number designation until it’s in orbit and tested. Once GOES-T enters service, it will be known as GOES-18.

More Information

NOAA press release

GOES History (NOAA & NASA)