The GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) program provides a continuous stream of environmental data that supports real-time weather forecasting and severe storm tracking by the National Weather Service. The system operates two meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit, with GOES-East (orbiting at 75o W longitude over the Atlantic Ocean) and GOES-West (at 135o W over the Pacific Ocean plane). Each satellite monitors about a third of Earth’s surface.

GOES satellites deliver critical meteorological and space weather data into a centralized processing center and to direct users. The GOES R series will provide improved latency and full hemispheric coverage, including periods of eclipse at the vernal equinoxes.

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) will have three times more spectral channels and four times more resolution than previous GOES images, with five times faster scanning. Its Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensor (EXIS) is able to detect solar flares that could interrupt satellite communications and reduce navigational accuracy, as well as affecting the operation of power grids on Earth, astronauts aboard the International Space Station and high altitude aviators.

Its Sounder instrument will have a more detailed view of clouds and the vertical structure of atmospheric temperature and water vapor fields. It will also detect lightning with a higher spatial resolution and faster scanning rate than the previous GOES sounder. Sounder is capable of scanning the atmosphere at a rate up to twice per second, which allows the evolution of an event such as severe local storms or a developing tropical cyclone to be tracked with greater detail.

Both the Imager and the Sounder instruments are servo-driven, allowing them to rapidly scan the Earth’s surface, a complete Northern Hemisphere or what is called a “full disk” image. The instruments can also change their scanning schedule to reflect specific weather conditions.

Aside from a suite of operational sensors, the GOES spacecraft also contains an onboard Data Collection System (DCS) which relays environmental data transmissions from remotely located automatic data collection platforms (DCPs). The DCS provides data retransmission to small, ground-based regional weather centers and a variety of other user communities.

The GOES program is managed jointly by NOAA and NASA at the co-located GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) in Greenbelt, Maryland. NOAA carries out the overall program management and acquisition for the spacecraft and its instruments. The Department of Commerce (DOC) establishes requirements and is the approval authority for the GOES-R budget, Ground Segment Project procurement and overall program acquisition strategy. DOC is also accountable for successful program development and operational mission success. This article is part of a series on NOAA Science and Technology in the News, a monthly feature produced by NOAA’s Office of Communication & Outreach, using articles from NOAA’s Science in the News archive. The feature is supported by the NOAA Science Education and Publications Office.