Article Posted on : - Apr 09, 2012

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (BNS): NASA has awarded space contract to United Launch Services, LLC of Englewood, Colorado for launching Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R and S, or GOES-R and GOES-S.

The spacecraft will launch in October 2015 and February 2017, respectively, aboard Atlas V 541 rockets from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

The total cost of the GOES-R and GOES-S launch services is approximately $446 million. This estimated cost includes launch service for the Atlas V and additional services under other contracts for payload processing, launch vehicle integration, mission unique launch site ground support and tracking, data and telemetry services, according to a statement by NASA.

The advanced spacecraft and instrument technology used on GOES-R and GOES-S will result in more timely and accurate weather forecasts. It will improve detection and observation of meteorological phenomena that directly affect people's lives, the report added.