IN THE SPOTLIGHT SARSAT Around the world...around the clock...NOAA proudly stands watch. As an integral part of worldwide search and rescue, NOAA operates the Search & Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) System to locate those in distress almost anywhere in the world at anytime and in most conditions. -- MORE --

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Latest 3-D weather images from the NOAA's Visualization Laboratory

	Operational Significant Event Imagery (OSEI) - broadcast, print and web-quality imagery created by the OSEI team of particularly significant or newsworthy environmental events which are visible in available satellite data. Includes dust storms, fire events, flood events, iceberg events, ocean events, severe weather, hurricanes and much more.
	List of Satellite Industry Related Information Resources - The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Office of International Affairs (OIA) provides the following list of hypertext links to help monitor developments in the international satellite environment as a public service. NTIA/OIA does not endorse any of the following corporate sites nor vouch for the veracity of information contained in any sites listed. Please email the webmaster if you have additional attractive links.
	Where in the World is Tomorrow Now? - find out when the "tomorrow line" will pass over you.
	The Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS) - NOAA's premiere on-line facility for the distribution of NOAA and US Department of Defense (DoD) Polar(-orbiting) Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) data, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and derived data.
	Historical Significant Events Imagery - hundreds of selected satellite images capturing some of the more important weather and environmental events over the last 30 years.
	Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) Polar Orbiting Satellite Experimental Products - used in assessing El Nino development, monitoring hurricane "wake" cooling, major shifts in coastal upwelling and for monitoring coral reef bleaching.
	NOAA Polar Orbiter Data User's Guide - (November 1998 version) is a document that describes the orbital and spacecraft characteristics, instruments, data formats, etc. of the TIROS-N, NOAA-6 through NOAA-14 polar orbiter series of satellites.
	Satellite Documentation - online document library from the National Climatic Data Center.
	Image Products Home Page - Operational image products are generated from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Area Coverage (GAC) data recorded on the NOAA polar orbiting satellites. Some of these products are now available online.
	Search and Rescue Satellite-aided Tracking (SARSAT) - uses NOAA satellites in low-earth and geostationary orbits to detect and locate aviators, mariners, and land-based users in distress. The satellites relay distress signals from emergency beacons to a network of ground stations and ultimately to the U.S. Mission Control Center (USMCC) in Suitland, Maryland. The USMCC processes the data and alerts the appropriate search and rescue authorities. SARSAT is a part of the international Cospas-Sarsat Program.
	An Interactive Global Map of Sea Floor Topography Based on Satellite Altimetry & Ship Depth Soundings - an interactive version of the Smith & Sandwell (1997) global ocean bathymetry map, the most complete, high-resolution image of sea floor topography currently available. The map was constructed by blending depth soundings collected from ships with detailed gravity anomaly information obtained from the Geosat and ERS-1 satellite altimetry missions. This combination of data yields a globally uniform level of resolution ideal for displaying major tectonic features, such as mid-ocean spreading ridges or fracture zones.

NOAA's National Environmental Satellite,Data and Information Service - NESDIS operates the satellites and manages the processing and distribution of millions of bits of data and images these satellites produce daily. The prime customer for the satellite data is NOAA's National Weather Service, which uses satellite data to create forecasts for television, radio, and weather advisory services.

NOAA's operational environmental satellite system is composed of: geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) for short-range warning and "nowcasting," and polar-orbiting environmental satellites (POES) for longer term forecasting. Both kinds of satellites are necessary for providing a complete global weather monitoring system. The satellites carry search and rescue instruments, and have helped save the lives of about 10,000 people to date. The satellites are also used to support aviation safety (volcanic ash detection), and maritime/shipping safety (ice monitoring and prediction).

	Office of Satellite Operations - manages and directs the operation of NOAA's satellites and the acquisition of remotely sensed data. The Office has operational responsibility for the Satellite Operations Control Center (SOCC) at Suitland, MD and Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) facilities at Wallops, VA and Fairbanks, AK to command and control the satellites, to track the satellites, and to acquire their data.
	Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution - manages and directs the operation of the central ground facilities which ingest, process, and distribute environmental satellite data and derived products to domestic and foreign users.
	Office of Research and Applications - The Office of Research and Applications (ORA) provides meteorological and oceanographic satellite products and services to agencies and people world-wide. ORA is the science arm of NESDIS that provides guidance for the development and evolution of spacecraft and sensors to meet future needs. ORA plans, coordinates, and conducts research and development activities with other parts of NESDIS and NOAA and other Government agencies, universitities and international groups. Through its divisions, ORA conducts atmospheric, climatiological, and oceanographic research on the use of satellite data for monitoring environmental characteristics and their change.
	Office of Systems Development - manages NOAA's operational geostationary and polar-orbiting environmental satellite programs. OSD provides the spacecraft, launch services, and ground systems necessary to maintain the uninterrupted flow of remotely-sensed environmental data required to protect life, property and the environment and to promote economic well being. OSD is responsible for defining user requirements and development of conceptual engineering design of future satellite systems to meet those requirements.
	NPOESS Integrated Program Office - The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) merges Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Commerce (DOC) meteorological satellite systems into a single national asset.
	Licensing of Commercial Remote Sensing Satellite Systems - provides U.S. laws, regulations, policies, and related information pertaining to the operation of commercial remote sensing satellite systems.
	NOAA's Coastwatch Program - makes environmental satellite data products and in-situ data available to Federal, state and local marine scientists, coastal resource managers, and the public. Managed by the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS), the CoastWatch Program routinely processes satellite data in near real-time, which means that images are just a few hours old.
	Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - a Department of Defense(DoD) program run by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center(SMC). The DMSP program designs, builds, launches, and maintains several near polar orbiting, sun synchronous satellites monitoring the meteorological, oceanographic, and solar-terrestrial physics environments.
	Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry - specializes in the analysis of satellite altimeter data related to problems in physical oceanography and marine geophysics.