The US Space Force has accepted a new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This satellite will be incorporated into the Electro-optical Infrared Weather System-Geostationary (EWS-G) mission.

The EWS-G mission aims to gather vital weather data, including cloud imagery over the Indian Ocean. This information is crucial for the planning of maritime military operations, according to the Space Force.

The newly acquired satellite, named EWS-G2, is the former GOES-15 satellite. The transfer of this satellite to the Space Force was approved by Congress in June 2021, after its successor became operational in January of the same year.

EWS-G2 will replace the previous satellite, EWS-G1 (formerly GOES-13), which was put into storage mode by NOAA in 2017. NOAA transferred the spacecraft to the Space Force through a memorandum of agreement. EWS-G1 has been fulfilling the Space Force’s mission since 2020, but it is expected to reach the end of its service life by February 2024.

On the other hand, EWS-G2 is projected to continue the mission through the 2030s. Its incorporation into the EWS-G program will enhance the collection of weather data and contribute to the successful planning of maritime military operations.