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The image shows the GOES West operational location coverage map.

NOAA GOES-S Satellite, now GOES-17!

Today is a big day for the GOES-S satellite. It has reached geostationary orbit (22,300 miles out in space) and has now officially received a new name...GOES-17! The satellite will be called GOES-17 for the remainder of its lifespan. GOES satellites are designated with a letter prior to launch and a number once they achieve geostationary orbit. 
GOES-S To Map Lightning in the West

GOES-S To Map Lightning in the West

NOAA GOES-S will not only image the Earth as it sees it in true color, it also will be able to detect and monitor weather phenomena as they develop in real time - like lightning.
JPSS-1 (NOAA-20) lifts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base on November 18, 2017.

From Launch to Operations: What Happens During NOAA-20’s Checkout Phase

The launch of JPSS-1 (now NOAA-20) was officially deemed a success about one hour after liftoff on November 18, 2017, when the satellite separated from the upper stage of the Delta II launch vehicle and its solar array deployed. Mission accomplished then, right? Not quite.  
This graphic shows coverage of the Western Hemisphere by GOES-East and GOES-West. (NOAA)

Five Reasons GOES-S will be a Game-Changer for Weather Forecasts in the Western U.S.

Excitement is building for the launch of GOES-S. On March 1, 2018, NOAA’s newest geostationary satellite will launch into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida. GOES-S (which will become GOES-17 once it reaches its final orbit) will significantly enhance weather forecasting capabilities across the western United States, Alaska, and Hawaii and provide critical data and imagery of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean extending all the way to New Zealand. Here are five reasons why GOES-S will be such a game-changer for weather forecasts from California to Alaska and beyond.
The NOAA Satellites Dating Game: Be Our Valentine!

The NOAA Satellites Dating Game: Be Our Valentine!

In celebration of Valentine’s Day we have hearts in our eyes as we think about our amazing satellites.  They each have unique global mapping, atmospheric, weather and environmental sensing abilities. Do you know which one would be the best connection for you? Take this dating game quiz and find out!
NOAA Satellite Global Coverage Illustration

International Partners in the Sky: Satellite Partnerships

NOAA’s GOES East and GOES West aren’t just part of an esteemed pair of sister satellites, they also belong to an international group of partners in the sky. While GOES East and West keep watch over the Western Hemisphere, their foreign counterparts on the other side of the world image the Eastern Hemisphere. These satellites make up a core geostationary satellite team that provides accurate real-time data to NOAA and the United States.
NOAA polar orbiting (right), geostationary (middle), and the new GOES-16 (left) satellites are part of the SARSAT constellation.

NOAA satellites aid in the rescue of 275 lives in 2017

Last July, a sailboat with two people onboard caught on fire several hundred miles off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. Luckily for the crew, a NOAA satellite picked up the distress signal from their emergency beacon, enabling the U.S. Air Force and Coast Guard to rescue them.
The three men behind the successful launch of Explorer 1 on January 31, 1958: Dr. William H. Pickering (left), Dr. James A. van Allen (center) and Dr. Wernher von Braun (right). (Credit: NASA)

The Road to Modern Weather Satellites: NOAA and NASA Celebrate 60 Years of America in Space

As NOAA’s next-generation weather satellites continually improve weather forecasts in the United States and beyond, it’s worth remembering how we got to where we are today. Today marks the 60th anniversary of America’s first successful satellite launch, ushering in a new era of space exploration and scientific discovery. 
Space Junk Graphic Illustration

Does Space Junk Fall from the Sky?

Yes it does! On average, a total of between 200-400 tracked objects enter Earth’s atmosphere every year. That’s about one every day! Thankfully human populations are rarely affected by things falling from the sky (from outer space). This is largely a numbers game. Human populations live on a small percentage of the Earth’s total surface area. So any objects that do not burn up and disintegrate upon atmosphere re-entry are likely to fall into the ocean (which covers over 70% of the surface of the Earth) or a sparsely populated land area.