Orbit Altitude: 35,800 km (22,300 miles)
Orbit Inclination: 0.41 degrees
Period: 1,436 minutes
Repeat Cycle: GOES flies in an orbit above the equator at the same rate as the equator turns -- one cycle per day.
Apogee: 400 000 km (240 000 mi)
Orbit Type: GEO > Geosynchronous > Geostationary

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GOES satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary
for intensive data analysis. They circle the Earth in a geosynchronous
orbit, which means they orbit the equatorial plane of the ... Earth at a
speed matching the Earth's rotation. This allows them to hover
continuously over one position on the surface. The geosynchronous
plane is about 35,800 km (22,300 miles) above the Earth, high enough
to allow the satellites a full-disc view of the Earth. Because they
stay above a fixed spot on the surface, they provide a constant vigil
for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as
tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and hurricanes. When these
conditions develop the GOES satellites are able to monitor storm
development and track their movements.

GOES satellite imagery is also used to estimate rainfall during the
thunderstorms and hurricanes for flash flood warnings, as well as
estimates snowfall accumulations and overall extent of snow
cover. Such data help meteorologists issue winter storm warnings and
spring snow melt advisories. Satellite sensors also detect ice fields
and map the movements of sea and lake ice.

NASA launched the first GOES for NOAA in 1975 and followed it with
another in 1977. Currently, the United States is operating GOES-10 and
GOES-12. (GOES-9, which is partially operational, is being provided to
the Japanese Meteorological Agency to replace their failing
geostationary satellite.) GOES-11 is being stored in orbit as a
replacement for GOES-12 or GOES-10 in the event of failure.

Additional Information on GOES Satellites:
http://www.oso.noaa.gov/goes/

To view a 3D orbit of GOES satellites, observe the J Track
satellite tracking web page at:
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/realtime/jtrack/

[Summary Extracted from the NOAA Office of Satellite Operations Home Page]

http://www.oso.noaa.gov/goes/
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/