| GOES-5 | |
| Mission Type: | Weather satellite |
| Operator: | NOAANASA |
| Cospar Id: | 1981-049A |
| Satcat: | 12472 |
| Mission Duration: | 7 years (planned) 3 years (VISSR) 9 years (total) |
| Spacecraft Bus: | HS-371 |
| Manufacturer: | Hughes |
| Launch Date: | UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Delta 3914 |
| Launch Site: | Cape Canaveral LC-17A |
| Launch Contractor: | McDonnell Douglas |
| Disposal Type: | Decommissioned |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Geostationary |
| Orbit Semimajor: | 42146km (26,188miles) |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 35749.8km (22,213.9miles) |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 35801.1km (22,245.8miles) |
| Orbit Inclination: | 14.6 degrees |
| Orbit Period: | 1,435.2 minutes |
| Orbit Longitude: | 85° West (1981) 75° West (1981-1987) 106° West (1987-1988) 65° West (1988-1989) |
| Apsis: | gee |
GOES-5, known as GOES-E before becoming operational, was a geostationary weather satellite which was operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system.[1] Launched in 1981, it was used for weather forecasting in the United States.
GOES-5 was built by Hughes Space and Communications, and was based on the HS-371 satellite bus. At launch it had a mass of,[2] with an expected operational lifespan of around seven years.
GOES-E was launched using a Delta 3914 carrier rocket[3] flying from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[4] The launch occurred at 22:29 GMT on 22 May 1981.[5] The launch successfully placed GOES-E into a geostationary transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit on 2 June by means of an onboard Star 27 apogee motor.[3] [6]
Following insertion into geostationary orbit, GOES-5 was briefly placed at a longitude 85° West, however by the end of 1981, it had been moved to 75° West. It remained there until 1987, when it was moved to 106° West. In 1988 it was relocated to 65° West, where it operated until 1989.[4] The primary instrument carried aboard GOES-5, the Visible Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer or VISSR, failed in 1984.[2] The GOES-1 and GOES-4 satellites were reactivated to fill the gap in coverage until a replacement could be launched. It was finally replaced by the ground spare, GOES-H, in 1987 after its intended replacement, GOES-G, failed to reach orbit. GOES-5 was retired to a graveyard orbit on 18 July 1990.[1] [6]