Editing Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (section)

==History==
The first GOES satellite, GOES-1, was launched in October 1975. Two more followed, launching almost two minutes short of a year apart, on 16 June 1977 and 1978 respectively. Prior to the GOES satellites two [[Synchronous Meteorological Satellite]]s (SMS) satellites had been launched; [[SMS-1]] in May 1974, and [[SMS-2]] in February 1975. The SMS-derived satellites were spin-stabilized spacecraft, which provided imagery through a [[Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer]], or VISSR.  The first three GOES satellites used a [[Philco-Ford]] bus developed for the earlier [[Synchronous Meteorological Satellite]]s (SMS) generation.<ref name="GSP-0g">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/goes-a_sms.htm|title=SMS 1, 2 / GOES 1, 2, 3|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2009-06-23}}</ref>

Following the three SMS GOES spacecraft, five satellites were procured from [[Hughes Aircraft|Hughes]], which became the first generation GOES satellites. Four of these reached orbit, with [[GOES-G]] being lost in a launch failure.<ref name="GSP-1g">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/goes-d.htm|title=GOES 4, 5, 6, G, 7|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2009-06-23}}</ref>

[[Image:GOES 2nd generation Spac0175.jpg|thumb|left|First generation GOES satellite]]
The next five GOES satellites were constructed by [[Space Systems/Loral]], under contract to NASA.<ref name="GSP-2g">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/goes-i.htm|title=GOES 8, 9, 10, 11, 12|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2009-06-23}}</ref> The imager and sounder instruments were produced by [[ITT Corporation|ITT]] Aerospace/Communication Division. GOES-8 and -9 were designed to operate for three years, while -10, -11 and -12 have expected lifespans of five years. GOES-11 and -12 were launched carrying enough fuel for ten years of operation, in the event that they survived beyond their expected lifespan.

A contract to develop four third-generation GOES satellites was awarded to [[Hughes Aircraft Company|Hughes Corporation]], with the satellites scheduled for launch on [[Delta III]] rockets between 2002 and 2010.<ref name="NPQ">{{cite web|url=http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/goesnopq.status.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041030133251/http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/goesnopq.status.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2004-10-30|title=GOES-NO/PQ Status |date=2006-06-13|publisher=NASA|access-date=2009-06-23}}</ref> After a merger with Hughes, [[Boeing]] took over the development contracts, with launches transferred to the [[Delta IV]], following the Delta III's retirement. The contract for the fourth satellite, GOES-Q, was later cancelled.<ref name="GSP-3g">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/goes-n.htm|title=GOES N, O, P, Q|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2009-06-23}}</ref> The first third-generation satellite, GOES-13, was launched in May 2006, originally serving as an on-orbit backup.<ref name="News">{{cite web|url=http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/goesnew.html|title=GOES-NEWS|date=2009-05-09|publisher=NASA|access-date=2009-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710163421/http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/text/goesnew.html|archive-date=2009-07-10|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, in April 2010, GOES-12 was moved to South America coverage and GOES-13 was moved to the GOES-East role.<ref name="goes13east">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/goes-n/media/goes-east.html|title=GOES-13 is America's New GOES-East Satellite|date=2009-04-16|publisher=NASA|access-date=2011-09-12|archive-date=2011-09-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917023948/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/goes-n/media/goes-east.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Third generation satellites have an expected lifespan of seven years, but will carry excess fuel to allow them to operate for longer if possible, as with the last two-second generation satellites.

{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|+ Operational Positions<ref>{{cite web |title=GOES Operational Status |url=https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Operations/GOES/status.html |publisher=Office of Satellite and Product Operations |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>
! Status !! Longitude !! Satellite
|-
| GOES-East  || 75° W || [[GOES-16]]
|-
| GOES-West  || 137° W || [[GOES-18]]
|-
| GOES-South || 60° W ||  ''Vacant''
|- <!--
| colspan=3 | -->
|}

The fourth-generation satellites, the GOES-R series,<ref name="R-Over">{{cite web|url=http://www.goes-r.gov/mission/mission.html|title=GOES-R Mission Overview|publisher=GOES-R Program Office|access-date=2014-08-29}}</ref> were built by [[Lockheed Martin]] using the [[Lockheed Martin A2100|A2100 satellite bus]]. The GOES-R series is a four-satellite program (GOES-R, -S, -T and -U) intended to extend the availability of the operational GOES satellite system through 2036.<ref name="GOES Flyout Schedule">{{cite web|url=http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/flyout_schedules.html|title=GOES Flyout Schedule|publisher=NOAA Satellite and Information Service|access-date=2014-08-29}}</ref> GOES-R launched on 19 November 2016.<ref name="R-Over"/> It was renamed [[GOES-16]] upon reaching orbit. Second of the series GOES-S, was launched on 1 March 2018. It was renamed [[GOES-17]] upon reaching orbit.