At 22:02 UTC on March 1st 2018 the Second Atlas V launch of 2018 fired the 5,192kg GOES-S satellite into orbit. Launching from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral, FL, the AV-077 (the launch designation) was an Atlas V in 541 configuration. GOES-S, an A2100 series satellite built by Lockheed Martin, was separated 3.5 hours into the mission into a 8,215km x 35,286km x 9.52 deg Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
The second of a new generation of weather satellites for the United States, GOES-S follows in the footsteps of GOES-East, now renamed to GOES-16. A huge jump in satellite capability, the new set of satellites cover from eastern Japan all the way over to west Africa, as well as parts of the Arctic and Antarctic. They can detect storms faster, see lightning and even have sensors to detect solar storms. The satellites were commissioned by the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) who manage the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) constellation of environmental satellites. For more images and information follow them on twitter @NOAASatellites.
There are versions of the livestream on Youtube, and a highlight reel on the ULA Youtube page. They are definitely worth a watch if you want more information from the engineers themselves.
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