Graphic of briefcase sticker art lauding NOAA A-D, the first of the TIROS-N polar-orbiting satellites. Only NOAA-A and NOAA-C ultimately became operational .

Graphic of ITOS satellite in orbit.

Graphic of ITOS satellite in orbit.

Graphic of TIROS-N circling the Earth.

Graphic of the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite, the forerunner of the GOES satellites.

Graphic of constellation of GOES satellites needed to view all continents except Antarctica. Antarctica is viewed by polar-orbiting satellites.

Artist's rendition of GOES D/E/F series of satellites in orbit.

Artist's rendition of GOES D/E/F series of satellites in orbit.

Working on ESSA-7, designated TOS-E prior to launch. Satellite was launched August 16, 1968.

ESSA-9, designated TOS-G prior to launch, shown during final checkout prior to being placed aboard launch vehicle. ESSA-9 was launched February 26, 1969, at 0247 A.M.

Graphic of ITOS system data flow.

Graphic of overall ITOS system.

GOES-A, the first operational Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite, being prepared for launch. GOES-A was redesignated GOES-1 following launch on October 16, 1975.

An early GOES satellite.

GOES-A undergoes checks at Aeronutronic Ford facility.

Working on ESSA-5 prior to launch.

Scientist working on GOES-D model satellite prior to launching.

Preparing a TIROS-N satellite for launch.

An early image from Applications Technology Satellite 1 (ATS-1). This satellite was launched into orbit on December 7, 1966 and was the prototype for the GOES series of satellites as well as for many modern communications satellites.

Applications Technology Satellite 3 (ATS-3) image of the western hemisphere. The ATS satellites were forerunners of the GOES family of satellites. Tropical Storm Becky is churning in the NE Gulf of Mexico.

A composite image of the northern hemisphere obtained from ESSA 5 polar orbiting satellite data. Eight tropical storms are active in this image.

Occluded vortex and frontal system as seen from ESSA 5.

An infrared image transmitted from NOAA 2 satellite showing the East Coast of North America from the Gaspe Peninsula to northern Florida. A frontal system is offshore with "cloud streets" extending back to the west. This cold front brought low temperatures to the eastern United States. The image was sensed by the very high resolution radiometer with 1/2 mi. resolution.

NOAA-3 visible range VHRR image of Hurricanes Ione (left) and Kirsten (right.) The rare effect of two interacting hurricanes is termed the Fujiwhara effect.

GOES image of North America with storm system over southern states and frontal system off the East Coast.

GOES image of North America with storm system over North Carolina and frontal system off the East Coast.

GOES image of North America. Weak band of rain on the eastern seaboard. Bright thunderstorm clouds extend along a frontal system from the Central Gulf Coast states through the Midwest to the eastern Great Lakes. Patchy rain clouds are over the Pacific Northwest whle spotty snow clouds blanket the northern Rocky Mountain states.

GOES image of North America. Large tropical storm off Baja California. Frontal sytem over upper Midwest. Tropical Storm Diana off the east coast of Florida. This storm had attained tropical storm status just a few hours before.

GOES image of eastern North America. Tropical Storm Diana off the coast of Florida.

GOES image of North America. Large tropical storm off Baja California. Frontal sytem over upper Midwest. Tropical Storm Diana off the east coast of Florida.

GOES image of North America. Remains of Tropical Storm Marie off Southern California. Hurricane Diane, now a category I hurricane, spreads clouds and thunderstorms north to Cape Hatteras.

GOES image of eastern North America. Hurricane Diana, now a category III storm, churns off the coast of North Carolina. Within a few hours this storm became a Category IV before rapidly weakening. Maximum winds at time of photo were 110 knots.

TIROS-N three dimensional cloud-top image of Hurricane Diana as it was strengthening from a Category III storm to a Category IV storm. This was one of the earliest three dimensional images of a hurricane from data obtained from satellite.

TIROS-N three dimensional cloud-top image of Hurricane Diana as it was strengthening from a Category III storm to a Category IV storm. This was one of the earliest three dimensional images of a hurricane from data obtained from satellite.

TIROS-N view of Hurricane Diana churning off North Carolina coast. The storm had mercifully weakened to a Category II status at this time with 95 knot maximum sustained winds. Notice cloud shadows on west side of Diana.

TIROS-N view of Hurricane Diana churning off North Carolina coast. The storm had mercifully weakened to a Category II status at this time with 95 knot maximum sustained winds.

GOES view of North America. The center of now Tropical Storm Diana is heading ashore just north of the South Carolina/North Carolina border. The beginnings of Hurricane Norbert are seen southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Short-lived Tropical Storm Edouard is shown at its birth west of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico.

GOES view of North America. The center of Tropical Storm Diana is heading back out to sea after crossing North Carolina. Tropical Storm Edouard is approaching its maximum strength of 55 knots in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. Tropical Storm Norbert is deepening southwest of Baja California.

The remains of Hurricane Diana, still a tropical storm, heading offshore and out to sea.

A volcanic eruption originating at Isla Fernandina in the Galapagos Islands is evident in this image. The arrow points to a volcanic plume approximately 75 miles long cutting across other cloud structures. This image, obtained from the NOAA-2 satellite, was the first evidence of this volcanic eruption. This image demonstrated the power of modern satellites to monitor volcanoes.

Infrared imagery of the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Stream. Lighter colors north of Florida Panhandle indicate extent of cold air swooping down from the north behind a cold front. Clouds in upper right corner show very cold tops (lighter) and indicate significant convection and possible thunderstorms.

Infrared imagery of the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Stream. Lighter colors north of Florida Panhandle indicate extent of cold air swooping down from the north behind a cold front. Clouds in upper right corner show very cold tops (lighter) and indicate significant convection and possible thunderstorms.

Warm rings show clearly breaking off the Gulf Stream and migrating onto the continental shelf off of the Mid-Atlantic states. Convective cloud activity is seen east of Cape Cod and south of Cape Hatteras.

Loop Current shows as darker water in the Gulf of Mexico as seen by Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) on NOAA -3 satellite.

Gulf Stream is seen as darker water extending to northeast from Cape Hatteras. This image was obtained from the Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) on the NOAA-3 Satellite.

Visible imagery (VIS) and Infrared (IR) photographs from NOAA 2 Very High Resolution Radiometers (VHRR), orbit 2453. NOAA 2 was at an altitude of 905 miles. The visible channel represents reflected light, while the IR image has been derived from a sensor response to the temperature of the earth, ocean, and clouds.

Infrared imagery as obtained by the Landsat satellite of upper Chesapeake Bay.

Infrared imagery as obtained by the Landsat satellite of upper Chesapeake Bay.

Infrared imagery of cloud top temperatures over Kansas and Oklahoma. Red indicates coldest temperatures which are associated with highest cloud tops and most intense convection and precipitation.

A V-2 Rocket Launch. This particular rocket was launched to study the upper atmosphere and carried instrumentation to study the velocity of sound and to measure the temperature at high altitudes. In: "Weatherwise", Volume I, no. 3 , June 1948. P. 52.