It was launched by United Launch Alliance aboard a Delta IV-M+(4,2) rocket at 22:51 UTC on 27 June 2009, from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Upon reaching geostationary orbit, on 7 July, it was redesignated GOES-14. It underwent a 6-month series of post-launch tests[2] before completing its "check-out" phase and then was placed into "orbital storage mode" or stand-by.[3][4] Its first full disk image was sent on 27 July 2009.[5]
GOES-14 was brought out of storage and began one-minute rapid scans of Tropical Storm Isaac on 24 August 2012. On 24 September 2012, it temporarily assumed the role of GOES-East after GOES-13 experienced technical difficulties.[6] On 1 October 2012, it began moving East at a rate of 0.9° per day to an ultimate geosynchronous position of 75° West longitude to better cover the Atlantic basin during troubleshooting and repair of GOES-13.[7] GOES-13 was returned to service on 18 October 2012.
GOES-14 was used to monitor Hurricane Sandy in parallel with the repaired GOES-13[8] and was returned to storage again on February 13, 2013.[9] GOES-14 was again reactivated on 23 May 2013 when a tiny meteorite struck GOES-13 and tilted it out of alignment. GOES-14 operated from its storage location for about 3 weeks while operators got GOES-13 back online.[1][10]
GOES-14 was to be powered off and placed into storage on 29 February 2020. It can be called back into service if needed.[11]
The first attempt to launch GOES-O was made on 26 June 2009, during a launch window running from 22:14-23:14 UTC (18:14-19:14 EDT). Due to rain and lightning at the launch site, the launch was delayed from the start of the window to 22:44 UTC, and once this passed, it was reset to the end of the window. At 22:59 UTC, the launch was scrubbed after field mills detected an unacceptably strong electrical field in the atmosphere, and fifteen minutes would have been required from this clearing in order to launch - longer than remained of the launch window.[12] The weather satellite was eventually launched on 27 June 2009 22:51 UTC (16:51 EDT).[13]
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).