GOES 3
Encyclopedia
GOES 3, known as GOES-C before becoming operational, is an American
geostationary weather
and communications satellite
. It was originally built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
as part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
system, and was launched in June 1978. It is positioned in geostationary orbit
, from where it was initially used for weather forecasting in the United States. Since ceasing to function as a weather satellite in 1989, it has been used as a communications satellite, and having spent over thirty one years in operation, it is one of the oldest functioning satellites in orbit.
GOES 3 was built by Ford Aerospace
, and is based around the satellite bus
developed for the SMS
programme. At launch it had a mass of 627 kilograms (1,382.3 lb).
GOES-C was launched using a Delta 2914
carrier rocket flying from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
. The launch occurred at 10:49 GMT on 16 June 1978, just two minutes short of a year after the previous satellite, GOES 2
. The launch successfully placed GOES-C into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit using an onboard SVM-5 apogee motor. Its insertion into geosynchronous orbit occurred at 03:22 on 17 June.
GOES-C underwent on-orbit testing, and was subsequently redesignated GOES 3. It replaced GOES 1
in service, and was initially operated at 135° West. In 1981, it was moved to 90° West, arriving in 1982, before departing again in 1984. In 1985 it arrived back at 135° West. In 1987 it was moved to 129° West, where it operated until it became unusable for meteorological studies in 1989.
After ceasing operations as a weather satellite, GOES 3 was reassigned for use as a communications satellite. In 1990, it was relocated to 175° West, and in 1995 it was moved again, and has been stationed between 102° and 110° West since 1996. Organisations which have used GOES 3 for communications include Peacesat, who used it to provide communications services to islands in the Pacific Ocean
; the University of Hawaii
who used it to broadcast educational programmes; the US National Science Foundation
, who use it for communications with the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
; and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geostationary weather
Weather satellite
The weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. Satellites can be either polar orbiting, seeing the same swath of the Earth every 12 hours, or geostationary, hovering over the same spot on Earth by orbiting over the equator while...
and communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
. It was originally built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
as part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
The Geostationary Satellite system, operated by the United States National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service , supports weather forecasting, severe storm tracking, and meteorology research. Spacecraft and ground-based elements of the system work together to provide a continuous...
system, and was launched in June 1978. It is positioned in geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
, from where it was initially used for weather forecasting in the United States. Since ceasing to function as a weather satellite in 1989, it has been used as a communications satellite, and having spent over thirty one years in operation, it is one of the oldest functioning satellites in orbit.
GOES 3 was built by Ford Aerospace
Ford Aerospace
Ford Aerospace & Communications Corp. was the aerospace and defense business of Ford Motor Company. It consisted of the Space Systems Division and the Western Development Labs .Partial company timeline:*1956 Aeronutronic becomes Ford Motor Company division.*1961 Ford Motor Company...
, and is based around the satellite bus
Satellite bus
A satellite bus or spacecraft bus is the general model on which multiple-production satellite spacecraft are often based. The bus is the infrastructure of a spacecraft, usually providing locations for the payload .They are most commonly used for geosynchronous satellites, particularly...
developed for the SMS
Synchronous Meteorological Satellite
For the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite program, NASA developed two weather satellites which were placed into geosynchronous orbit. SMS-1 was launched May 17, 1974 a and SMS-2 was launched February 6, 1975. Both satellites were carried to orbit by Delta 2914 rockets...
programme. At launch it had a mass of 627 kilograms (1,382.3 lb).
GOES-C was launched using a Delta 2914
Delta 2000
The Delta 2000 series was an American expendable launch system which was used to conduct forty-four orbital launches between 1974 and 1981. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets. Several variants existed, which were differentiated by a four digit numerical code.The first stage was an...
carrier rocket flying from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...
. The launch occurred at 10:49 GMT on 16 June 1978, just two minutes short of a year after the previous satellite, GOES 2
GOES 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...
. The launch successfully placed GOES-C into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit using an onboard SVM-5 apogee motor. Its insertion into geosynchronous orbit occurred at 03:22 on 17 June.
GOES-C underwent on-orbit testing, and was subsequently redesignated GOES 3. It replaced GOES 1
GOES 1
GOES 1, designated GOES-A and SMS-C prior to entering service, was a weather satellite operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It was the first Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite to be launched....
in service, and was initially operated at 135° West. In 1981, it was moved to 90° West, arriving in 1982, before departing again in 1984. In 1985 it arrived back at 135° West. In 1987 it was moved to 129° West, where it operated until it became unusable for meteorological studies in 1989.
After ceasing operations as a weather satellite, GOES 3 was reassigned for use as a communications satellite. In 1990, it was relocated to 175° West, and in 1995 it was moved again, and has been stationed between 102° and 110° West since 1996. Organisations which have used GOES 3 for communications include Peacesat, who used it to provide communications services to islands in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
; the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
who used it to broadcast educational programmes; the US National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, who use it for communications with the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station is the American scientific research station on the high plateau of Antarctica. This station is located at the southernmost place on the Earth, the Geographic South Pole, at an elevation of 2,835 meters above sea level.The original Amundsen-Scott Station was...
; and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is a college and research institute for the study of oceanography and the atmospheric sciences within the University of Miami . It is located on a 16 acre campus on Virginia Key in Miami, Florida, USA...
.