The first spacecraft in a new series of NASA advanced geostationary weather satellites for NOAA has been retargeted for a launch on Saturday, Nov. 19, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The one-hour launch window opens at 5:42 p.m. EST. Liftoff will occur from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
News briefings, live launch commentary, photo opportunities and other media events will be held at nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center, and carried live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
Once in geostationary orbit, GOES-R will be known as GOES-16 and will provide images of weather patterns and severe storms as regularly as every five minutes or as frequently as every 30 seconds. These images can be used to aid in weather forecasts, severe weather outlooks, watches and warnings, lightning conditions, maritime forecasts and aviation forecasts. It also will assist in longer term forecasting, such as in seasonal predictions and drought outlooks. In addition, space weather conditions will be monitored constantly, including the effects of solar flares to provide advance notice of potential communication and navigation disruptions. It also will assist researchers in understanding the interactions between land, oceans, the atmosphere and climate. The GOES-R weather satellite was built by Lockheed Martin.
Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at CCAFS and adjacent Kennedy.
Prelaunch News Conference
A prelaunch news conference on NASA TV will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17.
Briefing participants are:
Stephen Volz, assistant administrator for satellite and information services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sandra Smalley, director, Joint Agency Satellite Division, NASA Headquarters
Omar Baez, launch director, NASA Kennedy
Scott Messer, program manager, NASA Missions, United Launch Alliance
Greg Mandt, GOES-R system program director, NOAA
Clay Flinn, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
GOES-R Mission Briefing
Following the prelaunch news conference at 2 p.m., a NOAA GOES-R mission briefing will be held on NASA Television’s Media Channel.
Briefing participants include:
Steven Goodman, GOES-R program scientist, NOAA
Laura Furgione, deputy director, National Weather Service
Sandra Cauffman, deputy director, Earth Science Division, NASA Headquarters
For the prelaunch news conference and the mission briefing, media may participate with questions via a phone bridge by calling the newsroom at Kennedy at 321-867-2468 no later than 15 minutes before the briefings begin. Media also can post questions during the briefings via Twitter by using the hashtag #askNASA.
Press Accreditation Office Hours of Operation
The Press Accreditation Office located on State Road 3, Merritt Island, will be open to pick up media credentials at the following times:
Thursday, Nov. 17: 8 – 10 a.m.; noon – 2 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 18: 6:30 – 8:30 a.m.; noon – 2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19: 9 – 11 a.m.; 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
All media representatives must present two forms of unexpired government-issued identification to receive their media credentials. One form of ID must include a photo, such as a passport or driver’s license. For more information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or 321-867-2468 and by email at jennifer.p.horner@nasa.gov.
Atlas V Launch Vehicle Rollout
On Friday, Nov. 18, media may observe rollout of the Atlas V rocket from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad. Media should be at Kennedy’s Press Site at 8 a.m. for transportation to the viewing location near Space Launch Complex 41. Media will be returned to the Press Site by 11:30 a.m.
Remote Camera Placement at Space Launch Complex 41
On Friday, Nov. 18, photographers will be transported to Space Launch Complex 41 to set up remote sound-activated cameras at the Atlas V launch pad. Media should meet in the Kennedy Press Site parking lot at 1:15 p.m. Only photographers establishing remote cameras may go to the pad for this opportunity.
Launch Viewing for the News Media
On Saturday, Nov. 19, news media may view the GOES-R launch from the NASA News Center at the Kennedy Press Site. Launch viewing also will be available from the NASA Causeway located on the Banana River between Kennedy and CCAFS. Buses will leave the Press Site for the causeway at 4:30 p.m. There is no power or other facilities there.
Kennedy News Center Hours
Thursday, Nov. 17: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 18: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19: 8 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
NASA Television Coverage
On Thursday, Nov. 17, NASA Television will carry the GOES-R prelaunch news conference beginning at 1 p.m. The NOAA GOES-R mission briefing will follow at 2 p.m. on the NASA TV Media Channel.
On Friday, Nov. 18, the GOES-R “Social” presentations to the social media will be broadcast on NASA Television from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, NASA Television will simulcast a special prelaunch program carried by NASA EDGE starting at 3:45 p.m. on the NASA TV Media Channel. The program is live and featured on the NASA web and social media sites. It will cover NOAA’s GOES-R mission and its launch aboard the Atlas V rocket.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, NASA Television launch coverage and commentary will be carried only on the NASA TV Media Channel beginning at 4:45 p.m. Following Soyuz docking coverage at approximately 5:06 p.m., launch coverage will switch to the NASA TV Public Channel. Coverage will conclude after spacecraft separation from the Centaur and the GOES-R solar arrays are deployed, which occurs approximately 3 ½ hours after launch. At that time the spacecraft initial state of health can be determined and will be confirmed on the air. There is no planned post-launch news conference.
A post-launch news release also will be issued as soon as the state-of-health of the spacecraft can be verified. Representatives will be available at the Press Site to answer questions.
For NASA Television downlink information, schedule information and video, visit:
On launch day, “mission audio” of the launch conductor’s countdown activities will be carried with a live picture of the Atlas V at the launch pad on the NASA Media Channel starting at 3 p.m. The audio also may be accessed on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135 starting at that time.
Once launch coverage begins at 4 p.m., mission audio of the launch conductor’s countdown operations without NASA TV launch commentary will continue to be available on 321-867-7135.
Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County.
NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage
Extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the liftoff of the GOES-R spacecraft aboard an Atlas V rocket will be available on NASA’s home page at:
The GOES-R prelaunch news conference and the mission briefing will be carried live on the web on Thursday, Nov. 18. A prelaunch webcast for the GOES-R mission will be available on NASA’s YouTube channel and NASA’s website on Friday, Nov. 18. Live countdown coverage through NASA’s Launch Blog begins at 3:15 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19. Coverage features live updates as countdown milestones occur, as well as video clips highlighting launch preparations and liftoff. For NASA’s Launch Blog, visit:
To view the webcast or to learn more about the GOES-R mission, visit:
Social Media
Join the conversation and follow the GOES-R mission online by using Twitter and Facebook at:
https://www.twitter.com/NOAASatellites
https://www.facebook.com/NOAANESDIS
Throughout the launch countdown, the NASAKennedy Twitter and Facebook accounts will be updated continuously throughout the launch countdown at:
http://www.twitter.com/NASAKennedy
https://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy
Recorded Status
Recorded status reports and updates to the media advisory on the GOES-R launch will be provided through the Kennedy media status line starting Thursday, Nov. 17. The telephone number is 321-867-2525.
Wireless Capability
Wireless capability for news media is available at Kennedy’s Press Site.
