SpaceX launched its first Falcon Heavy of 2024 Tuesday afternoon on a spectacular clear day for all to see. On top was NOAA’s final GOES-R series of weather satellites, GOES-U (here’s an explainer on the names).
Expand Expanding Close
Six months into the year and SpaceX has launched 62 rockets, two Starships and the rest Falcon 9s. So far, the company has yet to launch its biggest operational rocket, the Falcon Heavy. In one week that will change with the launch of NASA/NOAA’s GOES-U spacecraft on June 25.
Expand Expanding Close
Dryer and hotter weather worldwide, but specifically in Canada, has caused a crazy wildfire season, and they’re only one month into it. The fires have caused extensive damage, evacuations, and smoke… so much smoke. That smoke has covered the northern parts of the United States and has even been seen by satellites in space.
Expand Expanding Close
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 is set to launch the GOES-T weather satellite at 4:38 p.m. EST on March 1, 2022. This NOAA satellite will replace the existing GOES-17 (West) satellite which has had issues with its Advanced Baseline Imager.
Expand Expanding Close
An underwater volcano located near the Tonga Islands recently became active. Early this morning, a major eruption took place. Multiple satellites captured it as it happened.
Expand Expanding Close
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from its west coast launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Saturday. The mission included a scientific payload for NASA, NOAA, and ESA called Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich. “The spacecraft is named after Dr. Michael Freilich, the former director of NASA’s Earth Science Division and a tireless advocate for advancing satellite measurements of the ocean,” according to NASA.
Expand Expanding Close
On this day, back in 2017, the NOAA’s JPSS-1 satellite was launched into orbit onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Once the satellite reached polar orbit, its official name was changed to NOAA-20 in order to maintain the NOAA’s consistent naming conventions.
Expand Expanding Close