BackgroundThe satellite links listed on this
page display images from GOES satellites. The acronym GOES stands for Geostationary
Operational Environmental Satellite. Geostationary
means the satellite is in orbit at a fixed point above the earth's surface.
There are currently two GOES
satellites that are being used operationally by the National Weather Service:
GOES-12 and -10. GOES-12 was launched from Cape Canaveral on July 23, 2001 and
then positioned at 75 degrees west longitude. It was deployed into service
on April 1, 2003, replacing GOES-8. To the west is GOES-10,
positioned at 135 degrees west longitude. It was launched from Cape Canaveral on
April 24,1997 as a backup. When GOES-9 failed in July 1998 (due to a failure of
its momentum wheel), GOES-10 was immediately placed into full-time service.
Both satellites are in geostationary orbit at an elevation of
22,240 statute miles (35,790 km) and have a life expectancy of 5 years. GOES-12
operations primarily support the eastern half of North America and the West
Atlantic, and has thus picked up the alternate name of GOES-EAST. GOES-10 supports the western half of North America and the East
Pacific, and is also called GOES-WEST.
Satellite images are kept in
Coordinated
Universal Time (UTC).
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