Mission
The GOES-T satellite launch on March 2, 2022. Credit: NASA
The GOES-R Series provides advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and space weather monitoring. GOES-18 will work in tandem with GOES-16, NOAA’s operational GOES East satellite. Together, GOES-16 and GOES-18 will watch over more than half the globe – from the west coast of Africa to New Zealand. GOES-17 will become an on-orbit spare.
Monitoring Weather on Earth and in Space
GOES-16 GeoColor full disk image taken April 22, 2020.
The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is the primaryinstrument on the GOES-R Series for imaging Earth’sweather, oceans, and environment. ABI is used for awide range of applications related to severe weather,hurricanes, aviation, natural hazards, the atmosphere,oceans, and cryosphere. ABI scans Earth five timesfaster with four times the resolution and threetimes the number of channels than previous GOESfor more accurate and reliable forecasts and severeweather warnings.
GOES-R satellites carry the Geostationary LightningMapper (GLM), the first instrument of its kind flownin geostationary orbit. Developing severe stormsoften exhibit a significant increase in lightning activityand GLM data can help forecasters focus on initialthunderstorm development and intensifying severestorms before they produce damaging winds, hail oreven tornadoes.
GOES-R satellites also host a suite of instruments thatdetect and monitor approaching space weather hazards.The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) and ExtremeUltraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS)provide imaging of the sun and detection of solar flares.The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) andMagnetometer monitor, respectively, energetic particlesand the magnetic field variations that are associatedwith space weather. Together, observations from theseinstruments contribute to space weather forecastsand early warning of disruptions to power utilitiesand communication and navigation systems as well asradiation damage to orbiting satellites.
What's New
The GOES-T satellite in a clean room. Credit: Lockheed Martin
GOES-18 provides the same observations as GOES-16 and GOES-17, but with slight modifications to two of the instruments. In 2018, during post-launch testing of the GOES-17 ABI, scientists discovered an issue with the instrument’s cooling system. The loop heat pipe subsystem, which transfers heat from the ABI electronics to the radiator, is not operating as designed. As a result, the ABI detectors can’t be maintained at their intended temperatures under specific orbital conditions, leading to a partial loss of infrared imagery at certain times.
An investigation found the most likely cause of the thermal performance issue to be foreign object debris blocking the flow of the coolant in the loop heat pipes. As a result, changes to the design of the ABI radiator and loop heat pipes for GOES-T (GOES-18) were implemented to decrease the chance of future cooling system malfunctions. The new design utilizes a simpler hardware configuration, which eliminates the filters that are susceptible to debris.
GOES-18 also carries an upgraded magnetometer instrument. The new magnetometer provides improved performance for measuring magnetic field variations.
Benefits
As GOES West,GOES-18 willbe positionedto watch overthe western contiguous United States,Alaska, Hawaii,Mexico, CentralAmerica, and the Pacific Ocean.The satellite will be ideally located to monitor weathersystems and hazards that most affect this region of theWestern Hemisphere.
GOES-17 imagery of several large fires in northern California on Aug. 4, 2021. Credit: NOAA
✓Critical data over the northeastern PacificOcean, where many of the weathersystems affecting the continental UnitedStates originate
✓Fire detection, monitoring, and intensity estimation
✓Detection of low clouds and fog
✓Hurricane track and intensity forecasts
✓ Monitoring of atmospheric river events than can cause flooding and mudslides
✓Monitoring of smoke and dust
✓ Data for air quality warnings and alerts
✓Detection of volcanic eruptions and monitoring of ash and sulfur dioxide
✓ Sea surface temperature data formonitoring fisheries and marine life
✓Warning of space weather hazardsresponsible for communicationsand navigation disruptions andpower blackouts
✓Monitoring of energetic particles responsible for radiation hazards
Meet the GOES Team
The GOES program team consists of top professionals in their respective fields. Discover more about the team.
Recent News
image
NOAA Satellites Monitor Wildfires
Roughly 100 wildfires are raging out of control across the western United States and hundreds more…
image
Wildfires Rage in the Pacific Northwest
The 2023/2024 winter season was the warmest on record for Canada and continuing drought conditions…
image
NOAA Satellites View Total Solar Eclipse
On April 8, 2024, the moon moved directly between the Earth and sun, completely blocking the sun’s…
image
NOAA Satellites Detect Severe Solar Storm
From March 23–24, 2024, NOAA’s GOES satellites, and others operated by international partners,…
View MoreGOES-T/18
