GOESEast

GOES-East, sometimes written GOESEast, refers to the eastern satellite in NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) program. It provides continuous, high‑resolution observations of the western hemisphere, with a focus on the eastern United States, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and adjacent regions. Operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in coordination with NASA, GOES-East sits in a geostationary orbit at about 75 degrees west longitude, enabling near real-time monitoring of weather systems.

The satellite carries a suite of imaging and sounding instruments designed for weather observation and space weather monitoring. A key component is the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), which delivers multispectral visible and infrared imagery with rapid refresh rates. The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) detects lightning across the observed area, providing valuable data for storm understanding and warning decision‑making. Additional sensors monitor solar activity and the space environment to support space weather assessments. Together, these instruments enable routine full-disk and regional imagery, frequent updates during severe weather, and advanced products used by forecasters and researchers.

GOES-East operates in close concert with GOES-West, the other primary satellite in the GOES fleet, to ensure continuous hemispheric coverage. The GOES-R series—introduced in the 2010s and followed by successor generations—brought significant improvements in imagery, data latency, and product development, with ABI and GLM at the forefront. Data from GOES-East are disseminated to the National Weather Service, other federal agencies, researchers, and aviation and emergency management communities, supporting weather prediction, climate research, and disaster response.