Air Force Space Command’s 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla., provide range and launch support to launch the next generation weather-tracking satellite—Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-N—yesterday evening at 6:11 p.m. A Boeing Delta IV rocket launched the Boeing-built satellite, which company officials said is the first of three it will build for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA. GOES-N primarily is designed to track hurricanes and other severe weather. “This satellite will serve the nation by monitoring conditions that trigger dangerous weather, and it will serve the world by contributing vast amounts of observational data,” stated NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher Jr.
Aircraft readiness will suffer if Congress does not approve some $1.5 billion worth of spare parts the Air Force requested in its annual Unfunded Priorities List, sent to Capitol Hill last week, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said.