Direct readout from NOAA satellites

NOAA's environmental satellites provide data from space to monitor the Earth, analyze the coastal waters, relay life-saving emergency beacons, and track tropical storms and hurricanes. NOAA operates two types of satellite systems for the United States; geostationary satellites and polar-orbiting satellites. Geostationary satellites constantly monitor the Western Hemisphere from around 22,240 miles above the Earth, and polar-orbiting satellites circle the Earth and provide global information from 540 miles above the Earth.

In addition to providing data for NOAA product processing, NOAA satellites provide a direct readout capability which allows any user in the footprint of a satellite to collect observations directly from the satellite.. The data in this direct broadcast includes data from the GOES Data Collection System (DCS) and Argos Data Collection and Locations Systems used by researchers, governmental and environmental organizations worldwide. These 2 systems allow remote earth-based systems to relay data through the satellite for near real-time reception. The direct broadcast also provides free, unrestricted access to scientific data directly from the imager, sounder and other instruments on board NOAA-operated satellites via GVAR, LRIT, EMWIN, HRPT, and APT. These satellites also carry the international Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system, which is dedicated to saving persons in distress on land or water.