Delta IV launches GOES-P weather satellite

A ULA Delta IV launches tonight with the GOES-P (KSC)

(Updated at 11:20 pm) -- A next generation weather satellite was carried into space today to begin a decade long mission to study both the weather in the America's and in the vacuum of space.

The GOES-P high resolution weather satellite arrived successfully in orbit following a beautiful night launch.

The satellite will begin to photograph and study the weather for North America, and have an eye trained back at the Sun as it understands the effects of solar activity here on earth.

GOES-P will also serve to help locate and track distress signals from boaters and aircraft. The signals will give the Coast Guard a more accurate location to quicken the emergency response time.

Lift-off of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket occurred following a 40 minute delay tonight at 6:57:00 pm EST (2357 GMT), from launch pad 37 here at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

As the countdown was in a normal planned hold at T-5 minutes, several alarms lite the launch team's consoles. Those alarms then forced a delay in restarting the count.

That delay then saw the upper level winds go red, meaning that the wind's speeds of nearly 160 mph were to fast to allow the Delta to fly through up at the Jet Stream.

Residents along Florida's Atlantic coastline were able to enjoy an early evening launch as the flames of two rocket boosters and a main core engine carried the rocket due east on a 95 degree launch azimuth.

The 4800-pound spacecraft measures nearly 27 feet in length -- from solar panel to solar panel -- as it operates in a geostationary orbit of 22,300 miles above.

The Boeing 601 GOES-P spacecraft was then released on it's own at 11:18:26 pm tonight, as it soared 17,813 nautical miles over southern Singapore.

Tonight, the NOAA Satellite and Information Service said, "We should have the first image around April 1".

The next NOAA weather satellite will be the GOES-R, now planned for launch no earlier than 2015.

Delta IV fueled for Today's Sunset Launch

A Delta IV rocket stands ready to carry a high definition weather satellite into orbit tonight from America's Space Coast.

Lift-off remains targeted for 6:17 pm EST (2317 GMT) today from launch complex 37 here at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

(For a complete rundown on the flight click here.)

Fueling of the main stage tank has begun and technicians are looking for any leaks between the ground and the vehicle.

Launch Weather Officer Joel Tumbiolo of the 45th Weather Squadron here at Cape is forecasting a 95% chance of favorable weather at launch time.

Weather at the pad is clear skies and a temperature of 53 degrees F. This spacecraft will be an important addition to the GOES family of weather satellites.

GOES-P is the third of the current series of high resolution imaging satellites. GOES-P will also investigate and alert weather stations here on earth of recent solar flares which create solar weather.

This weather satellite will become an on orbit spare for several months.

Delta IV primed to launch new weather satellite

A new American weather satellite is ready to begin a decade long mission next week to photograph and study our planet and the effects solar weather has upon our big blue marble.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA are responsible for the GOES-P meteorological satellite which will be used to take high resolution detailed images of the planet's weather systems, and use computer generated data to make a more accurate forecast on expected weather trends.

Launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV is set for Wednesday, March 3 at 6:17pm EST (2317 GMT) -- the beginning of a one hour launch window -- from space launch complex 37-B here at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Lift-off was targeted for two days earlier, however a flight readiness meeting on Feb. 26th pointed out the need to replace a solid rocket motor's steering control valve. And, on Monday, the ground crew needed extra time to replace a quick disconnect valve in a fuel line.

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite -P will make observations of 60% of the earth's surface, including all of the western hemisphere from it's perch 22,300 miles above the equator.

Among the several instruments on board the GOES P is the Solar X-ray Imager. The SXI is an x-ray telescope which will monitor solar activity and it's effects on earth. The telescope will take a detailed image of the Sun each minute for analysis. This will help in early detection of huge solar flares which can interfere with radio and television broadcasts.

The Space Environment Monitor is a multi-instrument space weather detection device on the weather satellite, and will assist in special space weather forecasts for astronauts on the International Space Station and high altitude aircraft and jets.

This latest GOES satellite arrived at the Kennedy Space Center, touching down aboard a military cargo craft from it's manufacturing plant in California on December 17th.

The payload was then transferred west across the Indian River into Titusville and the AstroTech Facility for prelaunch preparations.

At launch, the Delta IV's main stage RS-68 engine will ignite followed by its twin solid fueled boosters as the spacecraft begins it's trip to orbit.

Launching in a flight azimuth of 95 degrees, the Delta IV will travel toward the east-southeast away from the Cape.

Following an on time launch, the twin boosters will burn out and then separate from the core booster at 6:20:40 pm, as it travels 17 miles above the coral waters 13 miles off Florida's coastline.

Spacecraft separation is planned for 10:40:26 pm later that evening.

In June 2009,the GOES-O launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a Delta IV.