Scientific Satellites		Special-Interest Satellites
Communications Satellites	Militarily Interesting Satellites	Navigation Satellites
Miscellaneous Satellites	Astrodynamics and Orbitology	Satellites and Space Control

Weather & Earth Resources Satellite Orbital Element Sets (TLE)
Weather
NOAA	GOES
Earth Resources
Search & Rescue (SARSAT)	Disaster Monitoring
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS)

See sample images and renderings of this class of satellites

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite NOP (GOES) Image GOES satellites provide continuous reliable operational, environmental and storm warning systems to protect life and property from a geo-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 35,800 km. They provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hailstorms, and hurricanes. When these conditions develop the GOES satellites are able to monitor storm development and track their movements. GOES satellite imagery is also used to estimate rainfall during thunderstorms and hurricanes for flash flood warnings, as well as estimate snowfall accumulations and overall extent of snow cover. Such data help meteorologists issue winter storm warnings and spring snowmelt advisories. Satellite sensors also detect ice fields and map the movements of sea and lake ice and monitor the space environment around the satellite. Remote Sensing Microsatellite for Nigeria Image Surrey Satellite Technologies, Ltd., developed the NigeriaSat-1 enhanced microsatellite during a know-how and technology transfer program for the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) of Nigeria. NigeriaSat-1 is the first step in FMSTs plan to develop Nigerias national space infrastructure. The NigeriaSat-1 programme included the satellite, a mission control station in Abuja, Nigeria and hands-on training at Surrey for a team of Nigerian engineers. During the project, Nigeria formed a National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), which now manages the NigeriaSat-1 program. NigeriaSat-1 is a satellite of the standard Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) design. It carries an optical imaging payload developed by SSTL to provide 32-m ground resolution with an exceptionally wide swath width of over 640 km. The payload uses green, red and near infrared bands equivalent to Landsat TM+ bands 2, 3 and 4. Images are stored in a 1-gigabyte solid-state data recorder and returned via an 8-Mbps S-band downlink. NigeriaSat-1 can image scenes as large as 640 x 560 km, providing unparalleled wide-area, medium-resolution data. The data will be used within Nigeria to monitor pollution, land use and other medium-scale phenomena. . In addition, NASRDA have joined the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) Consortium, and images from NigeriaSat-1 will be available to disaster relief agencies world-wide through the DMC data sharing system. NigeriaSat-1 was launched in September 2003 from Pletsesk on a Kosmos launch vehicle, one of three satellites simultaneously launched to complete the first phase of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation, to provide medium-resolution imagery with daily worldwide revisit. Disaster Monitoring and High Resolution Imaging for Beijing Image Surrey Satellite Technologies, Ltd., has developed the BEIJING-1 microsatellite bus for the Beijing Landview Mapping Information Technology Ltd (BLMIT). The BEIJING-1 enhanced microsatellite is an Earth observation spacecraft that combines SSTLs standard Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) multispectral camera with a high resolution panchromatic imager. The customised microsatellite has specific enhancements to provide accommodation for the two imagers: a 32m multispectral imager currently flown on AlSAT-1, UK-DMC and NigeriaSat-1, plus a new 4m panchromatic imager developed under contract to SIRA Electro-Optics Ltd. The satellite bus provides highly agile attitude control to provide accurate pointing and the knowledge necessary for the mapping requirements of the mission. BEIJING-1 is supported by SSTL S-band telemetry, telecommand and an 8Mbps data retrieval ground station and is further supported by a customer furnished X-band data retrieval ground station and reflector subsystem. The Satellite was Launched on October 27th 2005 following a 24-month spacecraft development programme and is presently undergoing in orbit commissioning. Cospas-Sarsat Satellite Constellation, Search and Rescue Satellites Image The Cospas-Sarsat satellite constellation is composed of search and rescue satellites in low Earth orbit (LEOSAR) and geostationary orbit (GEOSAR). LEOSAR Satellite Constellation The nominal system configuration is four satellites, two Cospas and two Sarsat. Russia supplies two Cospas satellites placed in near-polar orbits at 1000 km altitude and equipped with SAR instrumentation at 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz. The USA supplies two NOAA meteorological satellites placed in sun-synchronous, near-polar orbits at about 850 km altitude, and equipped with SAR instrumentation at 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz supplied by Canada and France. Each satellite makes a complete orbit of the Earth around the poles in about 100 minutes, traveling at a velocity of 7 km per second. The satellite views a "swath" of the Earth of approximately 6000 km wide as it circles the globe, giving an instantaneous "field of view" about the size of a continent. When viewed from the Earth, the satellite crosses the sky in about 15 minutes, depending on the maximum elevation angle of the particular pass. GEOSAR Satellite Constellation The GEOSAR constellation is comprised of satellites provided by the USA (GOES series), India (INSAT series) and EUMETSAT (MSG series).