Technical Specifications

NASA launched two Synchronous Meteorological Satellites (SMS). The objective of the SMS-series was to provide improved meteorological data on weather phenomena to improve forecasting. After the successful launch of these satellites, NASA turned over the geostationary weather satellite program to NOAA for operation. NOAA bought additional spacecraft identical to SMS with the new name Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES).  The SMS series included the first operational satellite in the NOAA system.