For over 40 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has monitored the atmosphere with geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES). GOES is a NOAA-NASA program that provides continuous imagery and data on atmospheric conditions and solar activity. Because the satellites stay above a fixed spot on the Earth’s surface, they provide a constant vigil for weather conditions that can directly affect human safety and protect property, as well as the nation’s economic health.
GOES is comprised of two spacecraft, GOES-East and GOES-West, which each serve the eastern and western United States with real time weather data. Both GOES-East and GOES-West have two primary instruments: the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and the Sounder. ABI’s advanced design provides three times more spectral channels, four times more resolution and five times faster scanning than previous GOES imaging instruments. The Sounder provides detailed information on the vertical structure of clouds, the temperature of the atmosphere and water vapor content.
ABI images are used to detect cloud formations, monitor the movement of thunderstorms and hurricanes, estimate rainfall for flash flood warnings, forecast snowfall accumulations, track sea and lake ice and more. ABI’s advanced technology enables meteorologists to observe the evolution of weather events in near-real time, so forecasters can take immediate action, reducing public danger and damage.
In addition to observing weather, GOES can also detect volcanic eruptions and their associated ash plumes. GOES’ fast temporal cadence and enhanced spatial resolution can help NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Offices, National Centers and Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers to more quickly detect and monitor these events. This information can reduce aviation safety risks by allowing airlines to more accurately monitor the location of volcanic ash plumes before and during flights.
The GOES satellites are controlled from the NOAA Satellite Operations Center in Suitland, Maryland. They communicate with a NOAA ground receiving station called the NOAA/NESDIS Distributed System Control Center (DSC) at Wallops Island, Virginia.
GOES satellites operate in a geosynchronous orbit 35,790 kilometres (22,240 miles) above the Earth, which allows them to continuously view the continental United States and portions of Central America, South America and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
As the GOES system continues to evolve, NOAA is introducing new technologies and enhancing existing capabilities to ensure a strong future for the satellites. For example, GOES-17’s ABI instrument recently began operating in a new 10-minute flex mode that changes the frequency of full-disk imaging from a 15-second scan every minute to a two-minute scanning interval. This change will help to minimize how deep the sun’s rays penetrate into ABI’s detector, keeping heat away from critical components. A twice-a-year yaw flip maneuver guarantees that ABI maintains this favorable sun geometry year-round. Learn more about the latest GOES products on NOAA’s STAR website.