Launch Window Photo

Two years ago GOES‑U thundered away from Cape Canaveral on June 25, 2024, riding a Falcon Heavy into a bright Florida day. The rocket’s triple‑core ignition sent a golden plume rippling across the Cape as the spacecraft began its journey toward geostationary orbit. GOES‑U’s ride to space became even more cinematic when Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters peeled away and arced back toward Cape Canaveral in perfect synchrony. As the core stage pressed on downrange, the pair knifed through the sky with twin sonic booms rolling across the Space Coast before touching down on Landing Zones 1 and 2 almost simultaneously.

Video by Dennis Hlavsa with Space FrontPage and Launch Window Photo