Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

Encyclopedia : G : GE : GEO : Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

The GOES N satellite was launched on a Delta IV rocket from launch pad [LC-37B], Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) program is a key element in United States National Weather Service (NWS) operations. GOES weather imagery and quantitative sounding data are a continuous and reliable stream of environmental information used to support weather forecasting, severe storm tracking, and meteorological research. Evolutionary improvements in the geostationary satellite system since 1974 (i.e., since the first Synchronous Meteorological Satellite, SMS-1) have been responsible for making the current GOES system the basic element for U.S. weather monitoring and forecasting. Spacecraft and ground-based systems work together to accomplish the GOES mission.

The United States has four in operation.

• GOES-3 is no longer used for weather operations, but is a critical part of the communication links between the United States, and the South Pole research station. A 9 meter dish was constructed at the station, and communication with the satellite is possible for approximately five hours per day. Data rates are around 2.048 Mbs bi-directional under optimum conditions.
• GOES-9 is on loan to Japan over the mid Pacific as part of a multinational agreement since the Japanese satellite GMS-5 reached the end of its life and the failed launch of the replacement satellite MTSAT-1.
• GOES-10 is GOES-West over the eastern Pacific Ocean.
• GOES-12 is designated GOES-East, over the Amazon River and provides most of the U.S. weather information.

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 Andrew (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 scientist greatly improved observational and measurement data of the Western Hemisphere. 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 energy and reflected solar energy from the earth's surface and atmosphere. The Sounder provides data for vertical atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles, surface and cloud top temperature, and ozone 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 Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) 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-H and N–P) 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 have not yet been launched.

GOES-N, which will become GOES-13 when it reaches operational orbit, was launched by a Delta IV rocket from Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 22:11 GMT May 24, 2006.. Repeated glitches in the rocket and weather issues have delayed the launch since late July 2005. GOES-O and GOES-P are scheduled to launch one at a time through 2008. GOES-Q has no spacecraft manufacturer or launch date.

In October 2006, NOAA will reposition GOES-10 over the Amazon region, to provide full time coverage for South American countries. Althought NOAA currently sends images to South America, the frequency drops from 30-minutes to 3 hour whenever a storm occurs in North America, which is roughly 40% of the time during the hurricane season.

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

The GOES-R series of spacecraft is in the formulation phase. The proposed instrument package for the series is as follows: the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI); the Hyperspectral Environmental Suite (HES); the Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS), which includes a Magnetospheric Particle Sensor (MPS), an Energetic Heavy Ion Sensor (EHIS), and a Solar and Galactic Proton Sensor (SGPS); the Solar Imaging Suite (SIS), which includes the Solar X-Ray Imager (SXI), the Solar X-Ray Sensor (SXS), and the Extreme Ultraviolet Sensor (EUVS); the GEO Lightning Mapper (GLM); and the Magnetometer.

History/status of GOES satellites

• GOES-1, launched on October 16, 1975, decomissioned
• GOES-2, launched on June 16, 1977 decomissioned
• GOES-3, launched on June 16, 1978 Used as a communications relay for the South Pole research station.
• GOES-4, launched on September 9, 1980, Decommissioned
• GOES-5, launched on May 22, 1981, deactivated on July 18, 1990
• GOES-6, launched on April 28, 1983, Decommissioned
• GOES-7, launched April 28, 1987, Decommissioned
• GOES-8, launched on April 13, 1994, Decommissioned
• GOES-9, launched on May 23, 1995, operational with limitations, leased to Japan
• GOES-10, launched on April 25, 1997, in operation
• GOES-11, launched on May 3, 2000, orbiting - in storage
• GOES-12, launched on July 23, 2001, in operation
• GOES-13, launched on May 24, 2006, in operation

See also

• remote sensing
• MTSAT, Japanese weather satellite program

References