Mission type | Weather satellite |
---|---|
Operator | NOAA / NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1983-041A |
SATCAT no. | 14050 |
Mission duration | 7 years (planned) 6 years (VISSR) 9 years (achieved) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | HS-371 |
Manufacturer | Hughes |
Launch mass | 660 kilograms (1,460 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 28 April 1983, 22:26 | UTC
Rocket | Delta 3914 |
Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-17A |
Contractor | McDonnell Douglas |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Decommissioned |
Deactivated | 19 May 1992 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Geostationary |
Longitude | 135° West (1983-1984) 97° West (1984) 108° West (1984-1987) 135° West (1987-1992) |
Slot | GOES-WEST (1983-1984, 1987-1992) |
Semi-major axis | 42,151.0 kilometers (26,191.4 mi) |
Perigee altitude | 35,759.4 kilometers (22,219.9 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 35,800.9 kilometers (22,245.6 mi) |
Inclination | 14.7° |
Period | 1,435.1 minutes |
GOES-6, known as GOES-F 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.[1] Launched in 1983, it was used for weather forecasting in the United States.
GOES-6 was built by Hughes Space and Communications, and was based on the HS-371 satellite bus. At launch it had a mass of 660 kilograms (1,460 lb),[2] with an expected operational lifespan of around seven years.