GOES-P Still On Track for March 1 Launch

The United States’ latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-P, is on track for a March 1 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., according to a Jan. 27 NASA press release.

Technicians have completed cleaning and inspecting the satellite’s imager, sounder and solar X-ray imager and installed optical port covers that are meant to be deployed about 17 days after launch.

The weather satellite was built by Boeing Satellite Systems of El Segundo, Calif., under a NASA contract, but will be turned over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration following launch.

GOES-P is undergoing launch processing at Astrotech’s Titusville facility, while United Launch Alliance continues to prepare the satellite’s Delta 4 rocket for flight.