GOES-U
GOES-U
2023年1月23日，NOAA的官网上有一篇介绍GOES-U卫星运达佛罗里达准备春季发射的报道（另见 GOES-U的发射之路）。
GOES-U是美国第三代GOES卫星——GOES-R系列（包括GOES-R/S/T/U）中最后一颗卫星。该卫星于2024年1月23日运抵位于佛州的NASA肯尼迪航天中心。
运送卫星可不是一件简单的事情（is no small feat）。GOES-U体积和一辆小型小巴差不多，重量超过六千磅（约2722公斤）！
GOES-U由位于美国中西部的科罗拉多州利特尔顿（Littleton）的洛克希德马丁航天公司实验室工厂建造，并由一个特制的货柜箱保护其敏感的仪器和充当“移动洁净室”运输。该货柜箱先是运到了科罗拉多州奥罗拉的巴克利空军基地（Buckley Air/Space Force Base），然后再由C-5“银河”战略运输机（C-5M Super Galaxy cargo）运送。C-5是世界上最大的军用飞机之一，由洛克希德马丁公司维护和升级。 GOES-U被送达肯尼迪NASA的发射着陆场（Launch and Landing Facility ，LLF)。
然后再送到位于附近泰特斯维尔（Titusville）的Astrotech Space Operations公司（洛马公司在佛州的全资子公司，负责发射服务工作）进行电路测试做发射前的准备 。
GOES-U计划不早于2024年4约30日用Space X的重型猎鹰号（SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket）发射。
GOSE-U由货车货柜运输：
GOES-U departs Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Littleton, Colorado on Jan. 22, 2024, encased in its special shipping container onboard an 18-wheeler. It will be driven to Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora to meet its ride to Florida. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk
准备由“银河”C-5运输机运送：
After a careful ride on a truck from Lockheed Martin, crews prepare to load GOES-U into a U.S. Air Force C-5 Super Galaxy aircraft at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora on Jan. 22, 2024. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk
GOES-U已经装入“银河”C-5运输机：
The truck towing GOES-U carefully backs it into the belly of the U.S. Air Force C-5 Super Galaxy transport at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora on Jan. 22, 2024. The satellite will then be flown to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk
GOES-U前序卫星GOES-T开箱的场景：
GOES-T’s shipping container is opened at Astrotech Space Operations. Photo credit: NASA
GOES-U从“银河”C-5运输机卸载下来：
After arriving at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 23, 2024, technicians slowly bring GOES-U off the aircraft for a short drive to Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk
GOES-U到达Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility：
After arrival at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 23, 2024, NOAA's GOES-U satellite was transported to Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida. On Jan. 24, GOES-U was carefully removed from its shipping container, inspected, rotated, and placed onto a test stand to begin pre-launch processing. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk
技术人员做初步的检查：
Technicians take a first look at GOES-U once the cover of its shipping container has been removed. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk
GOES-U树立起来测试：
Technicians set GOES-U's chassis up on a stand within the clean room at Astrotech Space Operations' payload processing facility. Credit: NASA/Elizabeth Wilk