Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration · Funded by Department of Commerce
Who got paid, how much, for what, and whether it is defensible. Citizen opinion on the record, not a mandate.
Status and record
THE GOVERNMENT IS PROCURING THE NEXT-GENERATION GEOSTATIONARY OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITES (GOES) SERIES TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION THROUGH NEW REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN THE GOES-R LEVEL I REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT AND MISSION REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT (MRD). THE FIRST SATELLITE OF THIS NEW SERIES, DESIGNATED AS GOES-R, WILL PROVIDE THE FIRST MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IN INSTRUMENT TECHNOLOGY SINCE GOES-I LAUNCHED IN 1994. THE GOES-R SERIES WILL INTRODUCE OTHER NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN BOTH THE SPACE AND GROUND SEGMENTS. THESE ADVANCES WILL IMPROVE THE NATION'S ABILITY TO MONITOR AND FORECAST WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL PHENOMENA WITH A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PRODUCTS. ONE OF NOAA'S PRINCIPAL MISSIONS IS TO PROVIDE FORECASTS AND WARNINGS FOR THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES, ADJACENT WATERS AND OCEAN AREA FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY. THIS MISSION REQUIRES THE CAPABILITY TO ACQUIRE, PROCESS, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL DATA ON AN EXTENSIVE SPATIAL RANGE (GLOBAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL) ON A VARIETY OF TIME SCALES. THESE DATA INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: GLOBAL IMAGERY; CLOUD AND PRECIPITATION PARAMETERS; ATMOSPHERIC PROFILES OF TEMPERATURE, MOISTURE, WINDS, AEROSOLS, AND OZONE; SURFACE CONDITIONS CONCERNING ICE, SNOW AND VEGETATION; OCEAN PARAMETERS AND SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE; AND SOLAR AND IN-SITU SPACE ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS. THE STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) DEFINES THOSE TASKS TO DESIGN, ANALYZE, VALIDATE, DEVELOP, FABRICATE, ASSEMBLE, INTEGRATE, TEST, VERIFY, EVALUATE, DELIVER GOES-R SERIES SATELLITES AND SUPPORT LAUNCH AND POST LAUNCH, SUPPLY AND MAINTAIN THE GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT (GSE), AND SUPPORT THE NOAA SATELLITE OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER (SOCC). THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE THE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND OTHER RESOURCES TO DESIGN, VALIDATE, FABRICATE, ASSEMBLE, INTEGRATE, TEST, VERIFY, AND DELIVER GOES-R SERIES SATELLITES AND PROVIDE PRE-LAUNCH, LAUNCH, AND POST-LAUNCH SUPPORT AND TRAINING UNDER THE BASIC CONTRACT, AND OPTIONS WHEN EXERCISED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
$2.0B · DEFINITIVE CONTRACT · National Aeronautics and Space Administration · CO
FEDERAL SPENDING · CITIZEN OPINION
Was this federal payment to LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP worth it?
$2.0B · National Aeronautics and Space Administration to LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP
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What this award is
AI analysis
This is a contract paying Lockheed Martin Corporation up to $2 billion to design, build, test, and deliver a new series of advanced weather satellites called GOES-R (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) for the U.S. government. The company will also provide support before, during, and after each satellite launch through the year 2039.
DEEPER CONTEXTAnalysis · Risks · Arguments
WHY THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT
WHY WAS THIS FUNDED?
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), under the Department of Commerce, is required by its core mission to provide weather forecasts and environmental warnings to protect lives and property. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is managing the contract on NOAA's behalf, as it often does for government satellite programs.
WHAT PUBLIC PROBLEM IS IT TRYING TO SOLVE?
The United States needs updated, reliable satellites in orbit to monitor weather, severe storms, wildfires, space weather, and other environmental conditions in real time. The older GOES satellite technology had not been significantly updated since 1994, so this new series was needed to improve forecasting accuracy and speed.
WHO BENEFITS?
All Americans benefit from improved weather forecasts and severe weather warnings, especially people in areas prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Emergency managers, pilots, mariners, farmers, and utility companies also rely heavily on the environmental data these satellites provide.
Plain-language reading generated from the USASpending award record. Not legal or financial advice.
RISKS AND TRADEOFFS
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
A contract spanning more than 30 years and $2 billion carries significant risks around cost overruns, schedule delays, and changing technology needs over time. Long-term government contracts with a single large defense and aerospace contractor can also make it difficult to introduce competition or adjust course if problems arise.
WHAT HAPPENS IF FUNDING IS REMOVED?
Without this contract, the U.S. would eventually lose its ability to monitor weather and environmental conditions from geostationary orbit as older satellites fail, reducing the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts and severe weather warnings. This could directly affect public safety and the ability of emergency services to respond to natural disasters.
FOR AND AGAINST
ARGUMENTS FOR
- •Improved satellite technology means more accurate and earlier warnings for hurricanes, tornadoes, and other dangerous weather, which can save lives.
- •Continuous satellite coverage is essential for national security, aviation safety, maritime navigation, and protecting critical infrastructure from space weather events.
- •Investing in long-term satellite infrastructure ensures the U.S. maintains a world-leading environmental monitoring capability that benefits both the public and the economy.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
- •A single contract worth $2 billion awarded to one large corporation over more than 30 years raises concerns about whether taxpayers are getting the most competitive price.
- •Long contract periods make it harder for the government to take advantage of new technologies or lower-cost commercial satellite providers that have emerged since 2008.
- •The complexity and long timeline of large aerospace contracts have historically led to significant cost overruns and delays in similar government satellite programs.
SPENDING TIMELINE
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