BackForward Satellite Programme: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 3rd generation 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of operational meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit.
  • Follow-on of the GOES 2nd generation series.  Main developments: much improved imager, lightning mapper; missing sounder.
  • Programme managed by NOAA with support from NASA for the space segment.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time of the satellites is 11 years.
  • Two satellites at any time: GOES-East at 75°W and GOES-West at 137°W.
  • The replacement policy is based on one satellite in hot standby at 105°W as common backup.
  • See detailed description at http://www.goes-r.gov.
Data circulation
  • CDA (Command and Data Acquisition station) to receive all data transmitted in real-time.  Main locations: Wallops Island (Virginia) and Fairmont (West Virginia) (backup).
  • GRB (GOES Re-Broadcast) to broadcast pre-processed images and data from the sounder and other instruments in near-real-time.
  • LRIT (Low Rate Information Transmission) to broadcast a selection of images.
  • DCIS (Data Collection and Interrogation Service) to relay messages from DCP (Data Collection Platform) either at fixed time or upon interrogation.
  • GEOS&R (Geostationary Search & Rescue) to relay emergency signals to Local User Terminals (LUT).
  • EMWIN-N (Emergency Managers Weather Information Network - N) to disseminate processed data.
Agencies NOAA , NASA
Programme lifetime 2016 - 2035
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned