NASA has awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to develop and build the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite constellation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This project, encompassing an initial three spacecraft with options for four additional ones, carries a total potential value of $2.27 billion.

The GeoXO mission is poised to enhance and expand the critical weather observations currently provided by the GOES-R Series satellites, also built by Lockheed Martin.

GeoXO aims to introduce new capabilities for monitoring oceans and air pollution, which will result in more accurate weather forecasting and address emerging environmental challenges. These advancements are crucial for maintaining national resilience and economic stability.

“Our team is excited and ready to move forward to design and field this critical national capability,” stated Kyle Griffin, Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin. “Our GeoXO design draws heavily from what we’ve learned with GOES-R spacecraft over the last 15 years, while incorporating new, digital technologies.”

Scheduled for its first launch in the early 2030s, the GeoXO satellites will continue to support NOAA’s geostationary observations through the late 2050s.

“NOAA’s Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system is the ground-breaking mission that will advance Earth observations from geostationary orbit. GeoXO will supply vital information to address major environmental challenges of the future in support of U.S. weather, ocean, and climate operations,” said a NASA spokesperson.

The spacecraft will be based on Lockheed Martin’s modernized LM2100™ satellite bus, which was chosen because of its enhanced performance and flexibility. The platform’s SmartSat™ technology will allow for software updates and new capabilities to meet evolving environmental data needs over the coming years.

This is not Lockheed’s first foray into the geospatial industry.

Lockheed Martin’s has a long-standing history in the development and deployment of weather and environmental spacecraft. Over the past 50 years, the company has built and launched more than 120 such satellites for both civil and military applications.

The GOES-R mission, in particular, has set new standards with its advanced capabilities, including geostationary lightning detection and wildfire monitoring.

The culmination of the GOES-R series, GOES-U, is slated for launch on June 25, 2024, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, continuing Lockheed Martin’s legacy of innovation and reliability in weather satellite technology.