When most of us think about environmental satellites, we think about the vital weather and climate data these high-orbiting spacecraft gather — but that’s not all they do.
![The Hawaiian Islands seen from NOAA's GOES-17 satellite on November 13, 2018. GOES-17 is among NOAA’s next generation of advanced geostationary weather satellites. The spacecraft provides high-quality data coverage of the Pacific Ocean. (Image credit: NOAA) The Hawaiian Islands seen from NOAA's GOES-17 satellite on November 13, 2018. GOES-17 is among NOAA’s next generation of advanced geostationary weather satellites. The spacecraft provides high-quality data coverage of the Pacific Ocean.](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/PHOTO%20-%20The%20Hawaiian%20Islands%20seen%20from%20NOAA%27s%20GOES-17%20satellite%20on%20Nov.%2013%2C%202018%20-%20NOAA%20-%201000x534%20-%20Landscape.jpg?itok=9RgpfyiR)
The Hawaiian Islands seen from NOAA's GOES-17 satellite on November 13, 2018. GOES-17 is among NOAA’s next generation of advanced geostationary weather satellites. The spacecraft provides high-quality data coverage of the Pacific Ocean. (Image credit: NOAA)