Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - Satellite Designations

Satellite Designations

Before being launched, GOES satellites are designated by letters (-A, -B, -C...). Once a GOES satellite is launched successfully, it is redesignated with a number (-1, -2, -3...). So, GOES-A to GOES-F became GOES-1 to GOES-6. Because GOES-G was a launch failure, it never received a number. Since then, GOES-H to GOES-P became GOES-7 to GOES-15.

The procurement, design and manufacturing of GOES is overseen by NASA, while all operations of the satellites once in orbit are done by NOAA. GOES spacecraft have been manufactured by Boeing (GOES D-H and N–P) and Space Systems/Loral (A–C and I–M). The two current GOES series (I-M and N-P) are documented in the "GOES I–M Databook" and "GOES N Series Databook". The future GOES series (GOES-R) is being built by Lockheed Martin.

GOES-13 (which was designated GOES-N prior to orbiting) was launched by a Delta IV rocket from Space Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 22:11 GMT May 24, 2006. The launch of GOES-O was delayed several times due to various issues. GOES-O was launched Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 6:51 p.m. EDT from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at Space Launch Complex 37 piggybacking on a Delta IV rocket. The GOES-O satellite is a part of the GOES-N Series, and was renamed as GOES-14 once it successfully arrived on orbit. GOES-14 is in on-orbit storage, and will be able to be activated for duty if another GOES satellite is decommissioned. GOES-P launched successfully on March 4, 2010 at 18:57 EST. Boeing would have built and launched a GOES-Q only if either GOES-O or GOES-P failed to be delivered on-orbit in good working order.

In October 2006, NOAA repositioned GOES-10 (originally GOES-K) over the Amazon region, to provide full-time coverage for South American countries. Although NOAA currently sends images to South America, the frequency drops from 30-minutes to 3 hours whenever a storm occurs in North America, which is roughly 40% of the time during the hurricane season. In 2010, NOAA assigned GOES-12 to observing South America, although it has expended its fuel and several science systems have failed.

In addition, because GOES satellites have only been equipped with infrared sounders. This limits GOES to where its soundings will only work in cloud free areas.

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