GOES-16
Advanced Weather Observation
GOES-16 launched as GOES-R on November 19, 2016, and became the first operational satellite of NOAA's next-generation GOES-R series, delivering high-cadence imagery, lightning detection, atmospheric measurements, and space-weather monitoring.
Mission type
Geostationary weather and environmental monitoring mission
Launch
November 19, 2016
Original name
GOES-R
Renamed
GOES-16 after reaching geostationary orbit
Objective
Continuous weather observation from geostationary orbit
GOES-16 was designed to provide continuous environmental observations of the Americas and surrounding ocean regions from geostationary orbit.
Its mission combines rapid visible and infrared imaging, atmospheric observations, lightning detection, and space-weather measurements to support forecasting and warning operations.
Launch and commissioning
From GOES-R to GOES-16
The spacecraft launched on November 19, 2016, as GOES-R. After reaching geostationary orbit on November 29, it was renamed GOES-16.
NOAA later selected the spacecraft for the GOES-East role. It completed relocation to the eastern operational position and entered nominal GOES-East service on December 18, 2017.
Observation systems
Watching fast-changing weather
A geostationary weather satellite can repeatedly observe the same broad region instead of passing over it only at intervals. That makes GOES-16 especially useful for tracking rapidly developing storms.
Its observations support severe-weather analysis, hurricane monitoring, cloud and atmospheric measurements, wildfire detection, lightning monitoring, and other forecasting tasks.
Operational value
A major step forward for GOES-East
GOES-16 introduced the first operational capabilities of the GOES-R generation and provided substantially more frequent and detailed observations than earlier GOES spacecraft.
Its location gives forecasters a persistent view of the continental United States, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and adjacent regions where severe weather can evolve quickly.