View source for 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|[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]{{\}}[[NASA]] (1987-1999)}}<br/>[[Peacesat]] (1999-2012)
| website               =
| COSPAR_ID             = 1987-022A
| SATCAT                = 17561
| mission_duration      = 3-7 years (planned)<br/>25 years (achieved)
| spacecraft_type       =
| spacecraft_bus        = [[HS-371]]
| manufacturer          = [[Hughes Space and Communications|Hughes]]
| dry_mass              =
| launch_mass           =
| power                 =
| launch_date           = {{start-date|26 February 1987, 23:05|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| launch_rocket         = [[Delta 3000|Delta 3914]]
| launch_site           = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 17|LC-17A]]
| launch_contractor     = [[McDonnell Douglas]]
| entered_service       =
| disposal_type         = Decommissioned
| deactivated           = {{end-date|12 April 2012}}
| orbit_epoch           =
| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Geostationary orbit|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)<br/>98° West (1989-1992)<br/>112° West (1992-1995)<br/>135° West (1995-1999)<br/>95° West (1999)<br/>175° West (1999-2012)
| orbit_slot            = {{nowrap|GOES-EAST (1987-1989)}}<br/>{{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|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's]] [[Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite]] system. Originally built as a [[ground spare]],<ref>{{cite news|title=International Satellite Directory - Hughes Aircraft - GOES|date=1985-01-12|publisher=Flight International|pages=45}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="Peacesat">{{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}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==Launch==
GOES-H was launched aboard a [[McDonnell Douglas]] [[Delta 3000|Delta 3914]] rocket, flying from [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 17|Launch Complex 17A]] at the [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]].<ref name="JSR-LL">{{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}}</ref> The launch occurred at 23:05 GMT on 26 February 1987.<ref name="JSR-LL"/> The launch had originally been scheduled for late 1986, but was delayed after [[GOES-G]] failed to achieve orbit.<ref name="FI-GFailure">{{cite news|title=Atlas grounding follows Delta failure|date=1986-05-17|publisher=Flight International|pages=44}}</ref> It was built by [[Hughes Space and Communications]], based on the [[HS-371]] satellite bus,<ref name="GSP">{{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}}</ref> and was the last of five GOES-D series satellites to be launched.<ref name="EA">{{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}}</ref>
==Operations==
[[File:Img-1989-09-19-18-GOE-7-IR.jpg|left|thumb|150px|GOES-7 image]]
Following launch, GOES-7 was positioned in [[geostationary orbit]] at a [[longitude]] of 75° West,<ref name="History">{{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}}</ref> 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|GOES-6]] satellite failed in 1989, GOES-7 was left as the only operational GOES satellite.<ref>{{cite news|title=GOES 'Fiasco' causes US crisis|date=1991-07-16|publisher=Flight International|pages=21}}</ref> 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|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,<ref>{{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}}</ref> at which time it was moved to 95° West. It was then transferred to Peacesat, and positioned at 175° West<ref name="Peacesat-transfer">{{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}}</ref><ref name="TSE">{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/sat_goes_07.html|title=GOES-07|publisher=TSE|accessdate=2009-06-13}}</ref> 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|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|GOES-12]], and the satellite was not moved to the GOES-EAST orbital position.
==See also==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
*[[1987 in spaceflight]]
*[[List of GOES satellites]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{GOES}}
{{Orbital launches in 1987}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}
[[Category:1987 in spaceflight]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1987]]
[[Category:Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites]]