NASA selects ULA Atlas V Rocket to Launch GOES-T

[WesL]

Looks like another Decatur, AL built rocket has been selected to launch the GOES-T satellite in December 2021.

. (Dec. 18, 2019) – NASA’s Launch Services Program announced today that it selected United Launch Alliance’s (ULA’s) proven Atlas V vehicle to launch the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-T mission, the second to last satellite in the GOES constellation. This award resulted from a competitive Launch Service Task Order evaluation under the NASA Launch Services II contract.

“ULA is pleased once again to be selected to launch a GOES mission and we look forward to working with our mission partners from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for this important launch,” said Tory Bruno, ULA’s president and chief executive officer. “ULA and its heritage vehicles have a long history with the GOES Program and have launched all 17 operational missions to date.”

The GOES-T mission is scheduled to launch in December 2021 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This mission will launch aboard an Atlas V 541 configuration rocket.

GOES-T is the third of the next generation of weather satellites operated by NOAA, giving sequence to the GOES system. The GOES-R Series (including GOES-R, -S, -T and -U) provides advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s weather, oceans and environment, real-time mapping of total lightning activity, and improved monitoring of solar activity and space weather.

Info from ULA Press Release