Retro Music
Narrator: It all began back in October 1975,
with the launch of NOAA’s GOES-1 satellite.
--Indecipherable radio chatter--
Space Report Narrator: We’ve come a long way in weather forecasting
since the early balloon launching days, thanks mainly to weather satellites
Narrator: As groundbreaking as it was, it had limited capabilities and only
viewed Earth about 10 percent of the time.
By 1980, a new series of GOES satellites went into orbit.
These satellites had the capability to obtain vertical profiles of temperature
and moisture throughout the various layers of the atmosphere.
In 1994, GOES-I was launched. And with it, came significant improvements
in the resolution, quantity, and continuity of GOES imagery and data.
Thanks to a new three-axis method of stabilization.
Once it reached orbit, it was renamed GOES-8.
And gave forecasters more accurate information to pinpoint locations of
storms, wildfires, and other hazards.
By the mid-2000s, GOES-N, GOES-O and GOES-P further improved
the imager and sounder resolution to better pinpoint the locations of
intense storms. This satellite series also had improved optics, better
batteries, and more power allowing for more continuous imaging.
Launch countdown: Three...two...one...[rocket engines roar]
Narrator: Then in 2016, the current generation of geostationary satellites
was launched. The GOES-R Series.
With this series came new advancements that included state-of-the-art
instruments, like the Geostationary Lightning Mapper and
and the Advanced Baseline Imager or ABI.
For nearly 50 years, the GOES satellites have provided a unique view of Earth.
As the program advanced, so did the technology.
Allowing it to become the most sophisticated weather observing,
environmental monitoring, and space weather monitoring satellite system
that helps promote and protect the nation’s security, environment,
economy, and quality of life.