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GOES 7

GOES 7
Goes-4.jpg
Artist's impression of a GOES-D series satellite
Mission type Weather satellite
Operator NOAA / NASA (1987-1999)
Peacesat (1999-2012)
COSPAR ID 1987-022A
SATCAT no. 17561
Mission duration 3-7 years (planned)
25 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Bus HS-371
Manufacturer Hughes
Start of mission
Launch date 26 February 1987, 23:05 (1987-02-26UTC23:05Z) UTC
Rocket Delta 3914
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-17A
Contractor McDonnell Douglas
End of mission
Disposal Graveyard orbit
Deactivated 12 April 2012 (2012-04-13)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Geostationary
Longitude 75° West (1987-1989)
98° West (1989-1992)
112° West (1992-1995)
135° West (1995-1999)
95° West (1999)
175° West (1999-2012)
Slot GOES-EAST (1987-1989)
GOES-WEST (1995-1999)
Eccentricity 0.0002306
Perigee 35,879 kilometres (22,294 mi)
Apogee 35,898 kilometres (22,306 mi)
Inclination 15.09°
Period 24 hours

GOES 7, known as GOES-H before becoming operational, is an American satellite. It was originally built as a weather satellite, and formed part of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system. Originally built as a ground spare, GOES-H was launched in 1987 due to delays with the next series of satellites. It was operated by NOAA until 1999, before being leased to Peacesat, who use it as a communications satellite. As of 2009, it was operational over the Pacific Ocean, providing communications for the Pacific Islands. On April 12, 2012, the spacecraft was finally decommissioned and moved to a graveyard orbit.

GOES-H was launched aboard a McDonnell Douglas Delta 3914 rocket, flying from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch occurred at 23:05 GMT on 26 February 1987. The launch had originally been scheduled for late 1986, but was delayed after GOES-G failed to achieve orbit. It was built by Hughes Space and Communications, based on the HS-371 satellite bus, and was the last of five GOES-D series satellites to be launched.

Following launch, GOES 7 was positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 75° West, where it underwent on-orbit testing before being activated in the GOES-EAST slot of the constellation.


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