NOAA Open Data Dissemination (NODD) Program Plans Cloud Access to GOES-18 Data in Light of Upcoming GOES-T Launch

Artist's rendering of NOAA's GOES-T, which will provide coverage of the western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, the eastern and central Pacific Ocean to New Zealand.

Artist's rendering of NOAA's GOES-T, which will provide coverage of the western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, the eastern and central Pacific Ocean to New Zealand. (Image credit: NOAA)

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NOAA Big Data Program (BDP) provides near real-time access to GOES-R data via cloud partners Google, Microsoft and Amazon. With the launch of the GOES-18 satellite, BDP colleagues will be working closely with the GOES-R program and colleagues from the cloud partners to provide access to GOES-18 data on the day data is determined to be Provisional (e.g. approved for distribution).

Data from GOES-T will help scientists, innovators, industry leaders, cloud experts, meteorologists, and individuals see the big picture as well as read the fine print, providing critical real-time information before, during, and after severe weather and disasters strike. GOES-T will provide advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and monitoring of space weather.

GOES-R Program plans to share data files externally once an instrument has reached Provisional maturity.  Data files will be available between Provisional and the Operational Declaration of the satellite, however, data will have the caveat “GOES-18 Preliminary, Non-Operational Data.” The exception is during the interleave period when ABI Radiances and Cloud and Moisture Imagery data will be shared operationally via the Big Data Program.

BDP’s cloud partner AWS has shared information about the GOES-T launch announcement on its Registry of Open Data pageoffsite link for GOES-R. BDP, working with AWS and ASDI colleagues, plans to provide all 3 satellite datasets via RODA during the overlapping time period. 

Google Cloud Platform currently makes available GOES-16/17 data via BigQuery and Google Cloud Storage. GOES-18 data, once available, can be searchable via Google Cloud Marketplaceoffsite link.

Microsoft Azure makes currently available select GOES-R data via Microsoft Planetary Computeroffsite link and via the Microsoft GitHub NOAA GOES-R pageoffsite link.

BDP invites feedback from users to share their experience with cloud-based access to the data. We invite users from public, private, or academic areas to connect with BDP engagement via NOAA.BDP@NOAA.GOV.

Additional Information about GOES-T Information

Learn more about the NOAA Big Data Program here.