In a recent government meeting, officials from NOAA and NASA gathered to discuss the upcoming launch of the GOES U satellite, the fourth and final satellite in the GOES-R series. Scheduled for launch tomorrow, June 25th, at 5:16 PM EST, GOES U will be designated as GOES 19 once it reaches geostationary orbit.

Dr. Dan Lindsay, chief scientist of NOAA's GOES-R program, highlighted the satellite's initial placement at 89.5 degrees west longitude, which will allow for a comprehensive checkout period. Following this phase, GOES U is expected to be repositioned to the GOES East location at 75 degrees west longitude early next year, replacing the current operational satellite, GOES 16. This strategic positioning will enable the satellite to monitor significant weather events across North America, Central America, and parts of South America, including hurricanes and severe storms.

The new satellite will carry the same suite of instruments as its predecessors—GOES 16, 17, and 18—along with an additional compact coronagraph. Key instruments include the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), which will enhance the satellite's capabilities in weather observation and hazard detection.

The meeting also featured participation from other notable figures, including Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service, and Dr. El Sayed Talat, director of NOAA's Office of Space Weather Observations, who will provide insights on the satellite's space weather instruments in future discussions.

As the launch approaches, the panel encouraged media and the public to engage by submitting questions via social media, ensuring a broad dissemination of information regarding this significant advancement in weather monitoring technology.