The NOAA Weather Satellite

GOES-N logo Credits: NASA

 NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) operates a network of weather satellites that are used to gather information about the Earth's atmosphere and weather patterns. These satellites are equipped with various instruments, such as visible and infrared cameras, microwave sensors, and sounders, that allow them to measure various weather-related parameters, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind.

The NOAA weather satellite system includes two main types of satellites: geostationary and polar-orbiting.

Geostationary satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 22,000 miles, and they remain in a fixed position relative to the Earth's surface. This means that they can provide continuous coverage of a specific region, making them ideal for monitoring weather conditions in real time.

Polar-orbiting satellites orbit the Earth at a lower altitude of about 500 miles, and they travel over the entire Earth's surface in about 14 orbits per day. This allows them to gather a more comprehensive view of the Earth's weather patterns, but their coverage is less frequent than that of geostationary satellites.

NOAA's geostationary weather satellites are named GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) and the current polar-orbiting satellite series is named JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System)

NOAA weather satellites gather vital information that is used by meteorologists and other weather experts to make accurate weather forecasts and issue severe weather warnings. This information is also used by researchers to study the Earth's climate, and by various government agencies to plan and respond to natural disasters.