List of GOES Satellites

List Of GOES Satellites

This is a list of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. GOES spacecraft are operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with NASA responsible for research and development, and later procurement of spacecraft.

The first three GOES satellites used a Philco-Ford bus developed for NASA's Synchronous Meteorological Satellites, which preceded GOES. Two SMS satellites had been launched; SMS-1 in May 1974, and SMS-2 in February 1975. The first GOES satellite, GOES 1, was launched in October 1975. Two more followed, launching almost two minutes short of a year apart, on 16 June 1977 and 1978 respectively. The SMS-derived satellites were spin stabilized spacecraft, which provided imagery through a Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer, or VISSR.

Following the three SMS GOES spacecraft, five satellites were procured from Hughes, which became the first generation GOES satellites. Four of these reached orbit, with GOES-G being lost in a launch failure.

The next five GOES satellites were constructed by Space Systems/Loral, under contract to NASA. The imager and sounder instruments were produced by ITT Aerospace/Communication Division. GOES 8 and 9 were designed to operate for three years, while 10, 11 and 12 have expected lifespans of five years. GOES 11 and 12 were launched carrying enough fuel for ten years of operation, in the event that they survived beyond their expected lifespan.

A contract to develop four third-generation GOES satellites was awarded to Hughes Corporation, with the satellites scheduled for launch on Delta III rockets between 2002 and 2010. After a merger with Hughes, Boeing took over the development contracts, with launches transferred to the Delta IV, following the Delta III's retirement. The contract for the fourth satellite, GOES-Q, was later cancelled, and that satellite will only be completed in the event that another third generation satellite is lost in a launch failure, or fails soon after launch. The first third generation satellite, GOES 13, was launched in May 2006, originally serving as an on-orbit backup. However, in April 2010, GOES 12 was moved to South America coverage and GOES 13 was moved to the GOES EAST role. Third generation satellites have an expected lifespan of seven years, but will carry excess fuel to allow them to operate for longer if possible, as with the last two second generation satellites.

The fourth generation satellites, also known as GOES-NEXT or the GOES-R series, after the first satellite, are being developed by Lockheed Martin, with the first launch planned for 2015. These launches will use either Atlas V or Delta IV rockets. Two satellites are currently on order, with two options.