GOES 7
{{Short description|NOAA weather satellite}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = GOES-7
| image = GOES 4-5-6-7 illustration.jpg
| image_caption = Artist's impression of a GOES-D series satellite
| mission_type = Weather satellite
| operator = {{nowrap|NOAA{{\}}NASA (1987-1999)}}
Peacesat (1999-2012)
| website =
| COSPAR_ID = 1987-022A
| SATCAT = 17561
| mission_duration = 3-7 years (planned)
25 years (achieved)
| spacecraft_type =
| spacecraft_bus = HS-371
| manufacturer = Hughes
| dry_mass =
| launch_mass =
| power =
| launch_date = {{start-date|26 February 1987, 23:05|timezone=yes}} UTC
| launch_rocket = Delta 3914
| launch_site = Cape Canaveral LC-17A
| launch_contractor = McDonnell Douglas
| entered_service =
| disposal_type = Decommissioned
| deactivated = {{end-date|12 April 2012}}
| orbit_epoch =
| orbit_reference = Geocentric
| orbit_regime = Geostationary
| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|35879|km|mi}}
| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|35898|km|mi}}
| orbit_eccentricity = 0.0002306
| orbit_inclination = 15.09°
| orbit_period = 24 hours
| orbit_longitude = 75° West (1987-1989)
98° West (1989-1992)
112° West (1992-1995)
135° West (1995-1999)
95° West (1999)
175° West (1999-2012)
| orbit_slot = {{nowrap|GOES-EAST (1987-1989)}}
{{nowrap|GOES-WEST (1995-1999)}}
| apsis = gee
}}
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,{{cite news|title=International Satellite Directory - Hughes Aircraft - GOES|date=1985-01-12|publisher=Flight International|pages=45}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.peacesat.hawaii.edu/20SERVICES/Technologies/GOES7/index.htm|title=GOES-7 Satellite|publisher=Peacesat|accessdate=2009-06-13|archive-date=2009-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602123939/http://www.peacesat.hawaii.edu/20SERVICES/Technologies/GOES7/index.htm|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20120412_goes7.html|title=NOAA retires GOES-7 after 25 years as a weather and communications satellite|work=NOAA News|publisher=NOAA|date=2012-04-12|accessdate=2014-06-02}}
Launch
GOES-H was launched aboard a McDonnell Douglas Delta 3914 rocket, flying from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt|title=Launch Log|last=McDowell|first=Jonathan|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=2009-06-13}} 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.{{cite news|title=Atlas grounding follows Delta failure|date=1986-05-17|publisher=Flight International|pages=44}} It was built by Hughes Space and Communications, based on the HS-371 satellite bus,{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/goes-d.htm|title=GOES 4, 5, 6, G, 7|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|accessdate=2009-06-13}} and was the last of five GOES-D series satellites to be launched.{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/goes.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020221162356/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/goes.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 21, 2002|title=GOES|last=Wade|first=Mark|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|accessdate=2009-06-13}}
Operations
File:Img-1989-09-19-18-GOE-7-IR.jpg
Following launch, GOES-7 was positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 75° West,{{cite web|url=http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/history/goes/goes7.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004131623/http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/history/goes/goes7.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-10-04|title=GOES-7|first=Sharron|last=Sample|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|accessdate=2009-06-13}} where it underwent on-orbit testing before being activated in the GOES-EAST slot of the constellation.
Due to the loss of GOES-G, and delays in the development of the GOES-I series spacecraft, no reserve satellites were available in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After the imager on the GOES-6 satellite failed in 1989, GOES-7 was left as the only operational GOES satellite.{{cite news|title=GOES 'Fiasco' causes US crisis|date=1991-07-16|publisher=Flight International|pages=21}} It was moved to 98° West to cover the whole of the continental United States. In 1992, Meteosat 3 was leased from Eumetsat to take over GOES-EAST operations, allowing GOES-8 to be moved 112° West. When GOES-8 entered service in 1995, it replaced Meteosat 3, and GOES-7 was moved to the GOES-WEST position at 135° West. It remained in service until its retirement from service in 1996,{{cite web|url=http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/history/goes/goes7.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004131623/http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/history/goes/goes7.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-10-04|title=GOES-7|work=ESE 40th Anniversary|publisher=NASA|date=1999-04-22|accessdate=2009-06-23}} at which time it was moved to 95° West. It was then transferred to Peacesat, and positioned at 175° West{{cite web|url=http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases99/june99/noaa99r309.html|title=GOES-7 TRANSITIONED TO HAWAII FOR USE BY PEACESAT STATION, NOAA ANNOUNCES|date=1999-06-15|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2009-06-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161211205605/http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases99/june99/noaa99r309.html|archivedate=2016-12-11}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/sat_goes_07.html|title=GOES-07|publisher=TSE|accessdate=2009-06-13}} until its final retirement and disposal in 2012.
{{clear|left}}
It is the only satellite to have been operated as both GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST in the course of normal operations. GOES-10 has been used as both GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST, however its operations as GOES-EAST were as a backup during an outage of GOES-12, and the satellite was not moved to the GOES-EAST orbital position.
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{GOES}}
{{Orbital launches in 1987}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}