[Satellite Today 06-30-09] Boeing and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received the first on-orbit signals from the GOES-O satellite and reported that the Earth observation satellite is healthy and operating normally, Boeing announced June 29.
    GOES-O, which will monitor weather developments over the Western Hemisphere, was launched June 28 by United Launch Alliance on a Delta 4 rocket. The satellite is designed for a minimum orbit life of 10 years and will be placed in on-orbit storage.
    NOAA has not yet determined if GOES-O would replace an older GOES satellite in 2010.