The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system uses geosynchronous equatorial satellites to support weather forecasting, severe storm tracking and meteorology research. It is operated by NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service division. GOES provides advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s Western Hemisphere, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and monitoring of space weather.

The GOES system is made up of two components: the spacecraft and ground segment. The spacecraft are owned and operated by NOAA, while the National Aeronautics and Space Administration manages their design, manufacture and launch. Once launched, NOAA resumes responsibility for the spacecraft and its operation. There are also a number of international satellites that provide complementary coverage to the GOES data set.

Since its inception, the GOES satellite series has been continuously providing near-real time weather data to meteorologists. GOES is the backbone of the NOAA Weather Operations Centers, and serves as the primary source of weather imagery for the National Weather Service (NWS) weather offices, National Weather Centers, and Volcanic Ash Advisory centers.

GOES satellites operate in a geostationary orbit 35,790 km (22,240 miles) above the Earth. Using a three-axis body-stabilized design, the satellites are able to “stare” at the Earth’s surface and constantly image the Continental United States, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Central America, South America and southern Canada. This vigil allows meteorologists to monitor and track the development of thunderstorms, hurricanes, and other tropical cyclones in real-time. In addition, GOES imagery helps meteorologists determine rainfall amounts and track flood conditions during these severe events. It is also used to estimate snowfall accumulations and track the movement of sea and lake ice.

Each GOES satellite contains a suite of instrumentation. Each instrument is designed to monitor specific aspects of the Earth’s atmosphere, including cloud cover, surface temperatures and water vapor levels. Several instruments are able to monitor both day and night, giving the satellites the ability to observe weather phenomena in real time.

In addition to the GOES imaging instruments, a spectroradiometer measures solar irradiance and a radiometer measures wind speed and direction. GOES-13, -14 and -15 have also been equipped with the Sounder instrument package from NOAA’s Space Environment Monitoring (SEM) program.

GOES data is transmitted from the satellite to the NOAA Data Processing and Distribution System (DPDS) in Suitland, Maryland. This system receives, processes and distributes the GOES satellite data and provides it to users through a variety of different methods.

The GOES-R Series satellites are the third generation of geostationary weather satellites. These satellites are expected to replace the current GOES-11 and -12 satellites in 2024. GOES-R features an advanced new design that includes enhanced capabilities to detect and respond to weather events such as tornadoes, flash flooding, snowstorms, wildfires, volcanic eruptions and more. GOES-R is the first NOAA satellite to be equipped with the NEXRAD Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and a new Space Weather Sensor (SWS). This combination provides an unprecedented level of detail about the Earth and its atmosphere, enabling NOAA’s observing communities to better understand and predict our planet.