Environmental Satellites: Features and Acquisition Plans

Operational geostationary environmental satellites play a critical role in our nation's weather forecasting. These satellites - which are managed by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - provide critical information on atmospheric, oceanic, climatic, and solar conditions that help meteorologists observe and predict global and local weather events. They also provide a means to identify severe storm conditions, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, and to track the movement and intensity of these storms once they develop. This book examines the status of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) acquisition; with a focus on the improvements needed in continuity planning and involvement of key users.