Our objective was to assess the progress of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in implementing the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) weather satellite program. We also evaluated NOAA’s efforts to address the risk of a future gap in geostationary observations, and we assessed the program’s risk management processes.
We found that the GeoXO program has made adequate progress in its current phase of development and that it is achieving the desired technology maturity. However, NOAA should consider enhancing its continuity planning and risk management processes by (1) managing the risk of a continuity gap in geostationary satellite data, as the current series’s backup satellites are likely to reach the end of their lifespans before the first GeoXO satellite becomes operational, and (2) improving risk management processes to ensure the mission’s success.
