The third spacecraft for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R series, dubbed GOES-18, officially became GOES West on Thursday following its transition into operational service.
GOES West will now serve as NOAA’s lead geostationary satellite to help identify and survey Pacific hurricanes, coastal fog, atmospheric rivers, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and other environmental phenomena affecting the U.S. West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico and Central America, NOAA said Wednesday.
GOES-18 detects space weather hazards and monitors the Sun, replacing GOES-17 in these duties; the latter satellite will serve as a backup for the constellation. GOES West will additionally deliver atmospheric measurements and high-resolution infrared imagery and help map lightning activity in real time.
In March 2022, GOES-T launched aboard a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The satellite was renamed GOES-18 upon reaching geostationary orbit.
NOAA said the fourth and last satellite in the GOES-R series program, GOES-U, is set to lift off in 2024.
