The Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s planned replacement for the existing Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) satellites. These new geostationary satellites will make weather, ocean, and climate observations. The project aims to begin observations in the early 2030s as the GOES-R satellites reach their operational lifetime. The first GeoXO satellite is scheduled to be launched in 2032, with two more following in 2035, and the mission will maintain and advance NOAA’s geostationary observations through 2055.[1]
 Wordmark of the GeoXO system | |
| Manufacturer | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Operator | |
| Specifications | |
| Bus | |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Design life | 20 years (planned) |
| Production | |
| Status | Planned |
| Related spacecraft | |
| Derived from | Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite |
 GeoXO mission insignia | |
NASA is developing the satellites and awarded multiple "Phase A" contracts in 2021 and 2022,[2] including ones with Lockheed Martin and Maxar to study using their LM-2100 and 1300-class satellite busses, respectively.[3][4] The program was officially approved by the United States Department of Commerce in December 2022,[5] moving the program from the study phase to the development phase, and in March 2023 NASA and NOAA awarded L3Harris a $765.5 million contract to develop the first two GeoXO Imager (GXI) instruments.[6] On September 11, 2023, NASA and NOAA awarded Ball Aerospace (later sold to BAE Systems Inc.) a $486.9 million contract to develop the GeoXO Sounder (GXS) instrument.[7]
Unlike the payloads carried on GOES-12 through GOES-19, GeoXO satellites will not carry any instruments for observing space weather. Continuity of space weather and environment observations after the retirement of the GOES system is planned to be provided through the Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) mission and the Space Weather Next program.[8]
References
edit- ^ "GeoXO Timeline". NESDIS. NOAA. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ Werner, Debra (10 January 2023). "Full steam ahead for NOAA's $20 billion GeoXO program". SpaceNews. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "Maxar Awarded GeoXO Spacecraft Phase A Study Contract for NOAA's Next-Generation Weather Monitoring Satellites". Maxar (Press release). 4 August 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "Lockheed Martin To Support Severe Weather And Climate Monitoring For NOAA With Instrument And Spacecraft Studies". Lockheed Martin (Press release). 27 July 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "NOAA's GEOXO Program Approved". National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (Press release). National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "NASA Selects L3Harris to Develop NOAA GeoXO Imager". National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (Press release). National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "NASA Selects Ball Aerospace to Develop NOAA's GeoXO Sounder Instrument". National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (Press release). National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Space Weather Next". National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. 22 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
External links
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