Home > Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

Designed to operate in geostationary orbit, 35,790 km (22,240 statute miles) above the earth, thereby remaining stationary (with respect to a point on the ground), the advanced GOES I–M spacecraft continuously view the continental United States, neighboring environs of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and Central and South America. The three-axis, body-stabilized spacecraft design enables the sensors to "stare" at the earth and thus more frequently image clouds, monitor earth's surface temperature and water vapor fields , and sound the atmosphere for its vertical thermal and vapor structures. Thus the evolution of atmospheric phenomena can be followed, ensuring real-time coverage of short-lived dynamic events, especially severe local storms and tropical cyclones—two meteorological events that directly affect public safety, protection of property, and ultimately, economic health and development. The importance of this capability has recently been exemplified during hurricanes Hugo (1989) and AndrewHurricane Andrew was one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to hit the United States of America, raging from August 16 to August 28 of 1992. This tropical cyclone affected the north-western Bahamas, then southern Florida in the greater Miami area, do (1992).

The GOES I–M series of spacecraft are the principal observational platforms for covering such dynamic weather events and the near-earth space environment for the 1990s and into the 21st century. These advanced spacecraft enhance the capability of the GOES system to continuously observe and measure meteorological phenomena in real time, providing the meteorological community and the atmospheric scientistMeteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. Meteorological phenomena are observable weather events which illuminate and are explained by the science of meteorology. Those events are bound by the greatly improved observational and measurement data of the Western HemisphereFor the reference to Western culture, please see Western culture The Western Hemisphere contains The Americas and nearby islands. The terminology is meant to serve as an analogy with the natural geographic division of the world into a Northern and Souther. In addition to short-term weather forecasting and space environmental monitoring, these enhanced operational services also improve support for atmospheric science research, numerical weather prediction models , and environmental sensor design and development.

The main mission is carried out by the primary payload instruments, the Imager and the Sounder. The Imager is a multichannel instrument that senses radiant energyRadiant energy as defined by US Federal Standard 1037C, is energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. Radiant energy may be calculated by integrating radiant power with respect to time. Radiant energy is usually expressed in joules. This includes energy and reflected solar energy from the earth's surfaceIn mathematics, a surface is a two-dimensional manifold. Examples arise in three-dimensional space as the boundaries of three-dimensional solid objects. The surface of a fluid object, such as a rain drop or soap bubble, is an idealisation. To speak of the and atmosphere. The Sounder provides data for vertical atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles , surface and cloud top temperature, and ozoneOzone (O) is a molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms. At standard temperature and pressure Ozone is a blue gas. Ozone forms a dark blue liquid, below -112 °C, and a dark blue solid, below -193 °C. Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent, and is unstable, distribution.

Other instruments on board the spacecraft are the ground-based meteorological platform data collection and relay, and the space environment monitor. The latter consists of a magnetometer, an X-ray sensor, a high energy proton and alpha detector, and an energetic particles sensor, all used for in-situ surveying of the near-earth space environment.

In addition, the GOES satellites carry ELT and EPIRB receivers, which are used for search-and-rescue purposes by the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center

GOES spacecraft have been manufactured by Boeing (GOES-D through -H and N–Q) and Space Systems/Loral (A–C, I–M). The procurement, design and manufacturing of GOES is overseen by NASA, while all operations of the satellites once in orbit are done by NOAA. Twelve contracts for advanced architecture studies for GOES-R were announced in October 2003.

Once a GOES satellite is launched successfully, it is redesignated with a number. GOES-A to GOES-F became GOES-1 to GOES-6, GOES-G was a failure, GOES-H to GOES-M became GOES-7 to GOES-12, the rest is not yet launched.

Note: original entry taken from "GOES I–M Databook" foreword