Much Needed Weather Satellite Safely in Orbit

GOES-L, the latest in weather satellite technology, has been launched into space by NASA on an Atlas IIA rocket. As it goes through a series of on-orbit acceptance tests, GOES-L will be renamed GOES-11 and will be kept as an orbital spare to be used, when needed, to replace either GOES-8 or -10. According to a Loral press release, “GOES-10, launched in 1997, is currently overlooking the West Coast out into the Pacific including Hawaii; it is located at 135
degrees West longitude. GOES-8, launched in April, 1994, overlooks the East Coast and out into the Atlantic Ocean and is positioned at 75 degrees
West. GOES-9 is in storage orbit at 105 degrees West longitude.”