• The SMS/GOES program was initiated in 1974 after the successes achieved by ATS I and ATS III. The ATS research satellites demonstrated the operational feasibility and capability of placing a satellite in geostationary (geosynchronous) orbit over a fixed location on the Earth's surface. This craft could then be instrumented with meteorological sensors to observe the Earth's cloud cover and weather patterns from space twenty-four hours per day. The SMS series were totally owned and operated by NASA. The GOES series was identical to the SMS series, but were operated by NOAA.
  

SMS 1	SMS 2	GOES 1
GOES 2	GOES 3