essential
likely
maybe
probably not
Front (prompt)
GOES satellites — orbit and primary instrument?
Plain English (default view) — short, conversational, lightly seasoned with science
🔬 Scientific / formula (revealed on click) — markdown + $$…$$ ok
- 🛰️ **Orbit:** geostationary - Altitude **~36 000 km** (22 236 mi) above the equator - Orbital period matches Earth's rotation → appears stationary over one hemisphere - 📷 **Primary instrument:** ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager) - 16 bands (2 visible, 4 near-IR, 10 IR) - Full-disk scan every 10 min, CONUS every 5 min - 🌪️ **Used for:** weather, hurricanes, wildfires, fog, severe storms ⚠️ Don't confuse with Landsat (705 km, polar). Geostationary = 0° inclination, very high altitude.
💡 Mnemonic / memory aid (shown on hover)
GOES parks over the equator at ~36 000 km. Don't confuse with Landsat (705 km, polar). Geostationary = zero inclination, matches Earth's rotation.
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