GOES-N, currently scheduled for launch on Sunday, Aug. 14, is the first of three new geostationary weather and environmental satellites built for NASA by Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. GOES-N will feature a highly stable pointing platform, which will improve the performance of its Imager and Sounder that are important instruments for creating daily weather-prediction models and for hurricane forecasting. Data from GOES-N will be valuable for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service, which provides oceanographic circulation models and forecasts for U.S. coastal communities.

GOES-N will also provide expanded capability for the space and solar environment-monitoring instruments. Forecasts and warnings for solar disturbances will be enhanced. This will protect investments of billions of dollars by the government and private sector for assets on the ground and in space.

As with all of NOAA's geostationary and polar-orbiting weather satellites, GOES-N will also be able to relay distress signals detected from emergency locator beacons on the ground and at sea.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland is responsible for designing and developing the spacecraft and its instruments for NOAA.

Participating in the prelaunch press conference will be:

• Tom Wrublewski, GOES-N NASA Project Liaison
  NOAA



• Rick Navarro, Delta IV Launch Director
  Boeing Expendable Launch Systems



• Mark Spiwak, NASA and NOAA Programs Director
  Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems



• David Mitchell, NASA GOES-N Project Manager
  Goddard Space Flight Center



• Bart Hagemeyer, Meteorologist in Charge
  National Weather Service, Melbourne, Fla.



• Joel Tumbiolo, Delta Launch Weather Officer
  45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

The NASA News Center at KSC will open at 12 noon on Saturday, Aug. 13 for the GOES-N Prelaunch Press Conference.

NASA Television will carry the prelaunch press conference beginning at 1 p.m. EDT. Audio of the conference will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321/867-1260 or 321/867-7135.

GOES-N is currently scheduled for launch on Sunday, Aug. 14, during a 34-minute launch window that extends from 6:31 to 7:05 p.m. EDT.

For further information, contact the KSC News Center at 321/867-2468.

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