Description

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) operated by the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) supports weather forecasting, severe storm tracking and meteorology research. Space- and ground-based elements of the system work together to provide a continuous stream of environmental data. 

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) and the Meteorological Service of Canada use the GOES system for their North American weather monitoring and forecasting operations, and scientific researchers use the data to better understand land, atmosphere, ocean, and climate dynamics.

GOES provides advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth's Western Hemisphere, real time mapping of lightning activity, and monitoring of solar activity and space weather.

Deployment

The system has 4 operational geosynchronuous equatorial satellites. They are deployed between 75 degrees West and 137 degrees West at a height of 22 miles, covering the Western Hemisphere.

Benefits 

• Hurricane track and intensity forecasts
• Early warning of severe storms and tornadoes
• Fire detection, monitoring, and intensity estimation
• Identification of lightning strikes most likely to ignite fires
• Detection of low clouds and fog
• Monitoring of atmospheric river events that can cause flooding and mudslides
• Monitoring of smoke, dust and aerosols
• Data for air quality warnings and alerts
• Data for aviation route planning and reducing weather-related flight delays
• Detection of volcanic eruptions and monitoring of ash and sulfur dioxide
• Detection of heavy rainfall and flash flood risks.
• Sea surface temperature data for monitoring fisheries and marine life
• Monitoring of vegetative health
• Data for long-term climate variability studies
• Detection of meteors entering Earth’s atmosphere
• Detection of coronal holes, solar flares, and coronal mass ejection source regions
• Warning of space weather hazards responsible for communications and navigation disruptions and power blackouts
• Monitoring of energetic particles responsible for radiation hazards