GOES 2
 Artist's impression of an SMS-series GOES satellite in orbit |
|
| Operator | NOAA/NASA |
|---|---|
| Major contractors | Ford Aerospace |
| Bus | SMS |
| Mission type | Weather |
| Launch date | 16 June 1977 10:51:00 GMT |
| Carrier rocket | Delta 2914 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-17B |
| Mission duration | 24 years |
| COSPAR ID | 1977-048A |
| Mass | 295 kilograms (650 lb) |
| Orbital elements | |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Orbital period | 24 hours |
| Longitude | 75° West (1977-1978) 100-110° West (1978-1984) 112-114° West (1984-1990) 60° West (1990-1992) 135° West (1992-1995) 177° West (1995-2001)[1][2] |
GOES 2, known as GOES-B before becoming operational, was a geostationary weather satellite which was operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system.[3] GOES 2 was built by Ford Aerospace, and was based around the satellite bus developed for the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite programme. At launch it had a mass of 295 kilograms (650 lb).[4] It was positioned in geostationary orbit, from where it was used for weather forecasting in the United States. Following its retirement as a weather satellite, it was used as a communications satellite until its final decommissioning in 2001.
GOES-B was launched using a Delta 2914 carrier rocket flying from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[2] The launch occurred at 10:51:00 GMT on 16 June 1977.[5] The launch successfully placed GOES-B into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit by means of an onboard SVM-5 apogee motor. Its insertion into geosynchronous orbit occurred at 03:26 GMT on 17 June.[1]
Following on-orbit testing, GOES-B was redesignated GOES 2, and replaced SMS-1 at a longitude of 60 degrees west. It was operated as a weather satellite at several different positions until 1993, and was then placed into storage. It was reactivated as a communications satellite in 1995, and moved to 177° West. It was used by Peacesat to provide communications services to islands in the Pacific Ocean, a role in which it was replaced by GOES 7 in 1999, and by the US National Science Foundation for communications with the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. On 5 May 2001, it was retired to a graveyard orbit. At 21:08 GMT, two hours after the last manoeuvre to remove it from geosynchronous orbit, GOES 2 was commanded to deactivate its communications system, preventing future ground commands being sent to it.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Index". Geostationary Orbit Catalog. Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/geo.date. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ a b Wade, Mark. "GOES". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/goes.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ "GOES-2". The GOES Program - ESE 40th Anniversary. NASA. http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/history/goes/goes2.html. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "SMS 1, 2 / GOES 1, 2, 3". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/goes-a_sms.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
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