GOES-5, known as GOES-E 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 1981, it was used for weather forecasting in the United States.

GOES-5

Artist's impression of an HS-371 derived GOES satellite
Mission type	Weather satellite
Operator	NOAA / NASA
COSPAR ID	1981-049A
SATCAT no.	12472
Mission duration	7 years (planned) 3 years (VISSR) 9 years (total)
Spacecraft properties
Bus	HS-371
Manufacturer	Hughes
Launch mass	660 kilograms (1,460 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	22 May 1981, 22:29 (1981-05-22UTC22:29Z) UTC
Rocket	Delta 3914
Launch site	Cape Canaveral LC-17A
Contractor	McDonnell Douglas
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	18 July 1990 (1990-07-19)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	85° West (1981) 75° West (1981-1987) 106° West (1987-1988) 65° West (1988-1989)
Slot	GOES-EAST (1981-1987)
Semi-major axis	42,146.0 kilometers (26,188.3 mi)
Perigee altitude	35,749.8 kilometers (22,213.9 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,801.1 kilometers (22,245.8 mi)
Inclination	14.6 degrees
Period	1,435.2 minutes

GOES-5 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.

GOES-E was launched using a Delta 3914 carrier rocket[3] flying from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[4] The launch occurred at 22:29 GMT on 22 May 1981.[5] The launch successfully placed GOES-E into a geostationary transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit on 2 June by means of an onboard Star 27 apogee motor.[3][6]

Following insertion into geostationary orbit, GOES-5 was briefly placed at a longitude 85° West, however by the end of 1981, it had been moved to 75° West. It remained there until 1987, when it was moved to 106° West. In 1988 it was relocated to 65° West, where it operated until 1989.[4] The primary instrument carried aboard GOES-5, the Visible Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer or VISSR, failed in 1984.[2] The GOES-1 and GOES-4 satellites were reactivated to fill the gap in coverage until a replacement could be launched. It was finally replaced by the ground spare, GOES-H, in 1987 after its intended replacement, GOES-G, failed to reach orbit. GOES-5 was retired to a graveyard orbit on 18 July 1990.[1][6]

See also

• 1981 in spaceflight

References