The GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) series of spacecraft are NOAA’s primary source of real-time weather data. Currently, NOAA’s GOES-East and GOES-West satellites provide near-real time observational data over the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The satellites are in orbit at an altitude of 22,236 miles above Earth’s equator. Each satellite is referred to by a letter designation before launch and a number once it reaches geostationary orbit.

A GOES satellite is monitored and controlled by NOAA’s SOCC (Satellite Operations Control Center) at NESDIS in Suitland, Maryland. Once a satellite is in its operational geostationary position, NOAA’s CDA (Command and Data Acquisition Station) at Wallops Island, Virginia supports the interface to the DCS (Data Collection System Automatics Processing System).

Each GOES spacecraft is equipped with two DCS transponders — one active and one as backup. The RF transponders, or DCPs (Data Collection Platforms) transmit data to the DCS on-board the GOES satellite. Messages from each DCP are transmitted to the satellite in a fixed sequence of transmission times, called “slots.” The GOES DCS then routes the data to appropriate NOAA products.

The EPS (Electronics Package) and HEPAD instruments on the GOES-R satellites detect and track a wide variety of meteorological phenomena, including lightning strikes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail storms and clouds. They also monitor the Sun for active regions that can produce damaging solar flares, monitor galactic cosmic rays and measure the intensity of solar radio bursts.

GOES-R also has the new SXI (Solar X-ray Imager) and GLM (Geostationary Lightning Mapper) instruments. SXI provides a real-time view of the Sun’s explosive activity, helping NOAA forecasters to warn astronauts on board the International Space Station and other spacecraft of potential hazards. The GLM provides the most accurate and detailed images of clouds, lightning, precipitation and other atmospheric phenomena available from a NOAA satellite.

GOES-R is a NOAA/NASA joint program with NOAA providing the requirements and funding for the satellites and their sensors in orbit, and NASA performing spacecraft design, development, and procurement under contract. NOAA’s Program Office and the co-located Project Office at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) manage the overall GOES-R program.