GOES-R separates from Atlas V Centaur upper stage.
Photo credit: NASA
The NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) separates from the Centaur upper stage of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. GOES-R will be placed in a geostationary position over the U.S. to provide images of storms and help predict weather forecasts, severe weather outlooks, watches, warnings, lightning conditionals and longer-term forecasting.