KSC-05pd-0388

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility, workers offload the latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the C17 military cargo aircraft that delivered it. Called GOES-N, the satellite is targeted to launch May 4 onboard a Boeing expendable launch vehicle Delta IV (4,2). Once in orbit GOES-N will be designated GOES-13 and will complete checkout and be placed in on-orbit storage as a replacement for an older GOES satellite. After arriving, the satellite was transported to Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., where final testing of the imaging system, instrumentation, communications and power systems will be performed over the next two months by Boeing Satellite Systems.