The GOES-U Launch

A comic-book style illustration of a rocket launching, the GOES-U weather satellite with a partial reflection of Earth in its solar panels, a sun with a bursting solar flare, a tornado, the flames of a wildfire, clouds, a hurricane, and lightning over a city with text that says Crack!

Credit: NOAA/JPL-Caltech

In June 2024, the United States will be launching its latest weather satellite called GOES-U (GOES is short for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite). GOES-U will be the fourth and final satellite in the GOES-R group of satellites. From its orbit 22,000 miles above us, GOES-U will keep an eye on the weather and environmental conditions here on Earth.

Here is a list of just some of the things this weather satellite will monitor:

Severe weather, such as storms and lightning
Environmental hazards, such as wildfires
Ocean conditions that could contribute to hurricanes
Weather from the sun, called space weather

GOES-U Art Challenge

A dark blue background that represents space, with a sun in the distance and Earth in the foreground. A red-handled paint brush is making strokes of blue paint to fill in the ocean of earth. Text reads: Art challenge! Click here to learn more.

Credit: NOAA/JPL-Caltech

Have you ever watched a lightning storm from your window at home? Did you know that scientists can use weather satellites to watch lightning from above, too?

Enter our lightning art challenge to draw, paint, or sculpt what you think lightning looks like from the ground, the sky, or even from a satellite—the sky is the limit!

Visit our art challenge page to learn more about how to submit your artwork between 5/1/24 and 5/31/24. Selected works of art will appear on the SciJinks website in June—just in time for the GOES-U launch!

Want to launch your learning and zap your knowledge of lightning? GOES to this article and check out the video and poster to learn more about lightning!

GOES-U Launch Bingo

Color version of the Weather Satellite Launch Bingo card available for PDF download below.

Credit: NOAA/JPL-Caltech

For the launch of GOES-U, we created a launch bingo game. Here’s how to play:

Download and print the GOES-U launch bingo cards at the links below.
Watch the GOES-U launch broadcast in June and mark off the words that you hear.
When you get five words in a row, say “BINGO!”
Optional: Have a grownup share a photo of your board with us on Facebook or Twitter by tagging @NOAASatellites and using the hashtag #ReadyToGOES.

Here are the links to download the bingo cards.

Download GOES-U Launch Bingo Card 1

Download GOES-U Launch Bingo Card 2

Download GOES-U Launch Bingo Card 3

Download GOES-U Launch Bingo Card 4

Download GOES-U Launch Bingo Card 5

Additional resources:

To prepare for launch also check out our printable coloring sheets and activity book!