L3Harris Technologies Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been chosen by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop the imager for NOAA’s Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite program. The contract is worth approximately $765.5 million and includes the development of two flight instruments with options for additional units.
The GeoXO Imager (GXI) will be the primary instrument for the GeoXO mission. It is a multi-channel, passive imaging radiometer that will measure environmental data. The GXI will provide real-time, high-resolution visible and infrared imagery for monitoring weather, ocean, and environmental conditions in the Western Hemisphere. It will be used for various applications related to severe storms, hurricanes, aviation, natural hazards, atmosphere, and ocean monitoring.
The contract includes tasks such as design, analysis, development, fabrication, integration, testing, verification, evaluation, launch support, supply and maintenance of ground support equipment, and mission operations support at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility. The work will be carried out at L3Harris facilities, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NOAA operates a constellation of geostationary environmental satellites to protect life and property across the Western Hemisphere. The GeoXO program is the successor to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites – R (GOES-R) Series program.
The GeoXO satellite system aims to advance Earth observations from geostationary orbit and provide crucial information to address future environmental challenges related to weather, ocean, and climate operations in the United States. The advanced capabilities of GeoXO will help meet the evolving needs of NOAA’s data users. The goal is to have these critical observations in place by the early 2030s when the GOES-R Series nears the end of its operational lifetime.
Both NOAA and NASA will oversee the development, launch, testing, and operation of all satellites in the GeoXO program. NOAA funds and manages the program, operations, and data products, while NASA and commercial partners are responsible for developing and building the instruments, spacecraft, and ground system, as well as launching the satellites.
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