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SAN FRANCISCO – A White House budget proposal suggests significant changes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) future geostationary satellite system, GeoXO, advocating for a more economical and less extensive program. This revised plan aims to replace the current ambitious GeoXO initiative.
White House Proposes Overhaul of NOAA’s GeoXO Satellite Program
Contained within the draft 2026 budget proposal, known as the passback, prepared by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and delivered to NOAA earlier this month, the document recommends a substantial alteration to NOAA’s satellite plans. The proposal advises NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) to “immediately terminate all major instrument and spacecraft contracts on the GeoXO program.” The memo asserts that the projected expenditures for GeoXO are deemed “unsustainable,” lack congressional backing, and are inconsistent with the approaches of international counterparts.
GeoXO Program Facing Significant Reductions
GeoXO, initially envisioned as a $19.6 billion endeavor, encompasses six satellites and associated ground infrastructure designed to greatly improve NOAA’s capabilities in weather monitoring, lightning mapping, and tracking oceanic and atmospheric conditions over the long term. To ensure continuous observations from geostationary orbit beyond the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R Series, the White House directive urges NOAA to “immediately institute a major revision to reduce lifecycle costs by 50 percent,” targeting annual expenditures below $500 million. This revised plan would still aim to launch the first satellite by 2032.
Reduced Scope and NASA Involvement
Instead of broadening the geostationary constellation to incorporate satellites positioned over the Eastern, Western, and Central United States, the proposal limits coverage to East and West satellites, mirroring the current GOES-R Series configuration. Furthermore, OMB recommends an immediate cessation of NOAA’s reliance on NASA for the acquisition of weather satellites.
Concerns Over NASA’s Role
The document states, “While the proficiency and expertise of NASA personnel have historically provided considerable advantages to geostationary programs, NASA’s aversion to risk, preference for contract types other than fixed price, and elevated overhead costs have rendered the continuation of this arrangement insupportable.”
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Budgetary Implications for NESDIS
NOAA is currently reviewing the OMB proposal and will offer feedback before the administration’s 2026 budget plan is submitted to Congress in May. If the OMB proposal is adopted, NESDIS would receive $336 million in 2026, a decrease of $44.8 million compared to the 2024 budget allocation.
These funding reductions would impact several offices including the Office of Space Commerce, National Center for Environmental Information, and the Office of Satellite and Product Operations. Additionally, NESDIS’ education division and NOAA’s Ocean Service are slated for closure under this budget plan.
Specifically for GeoXO, OMB proposes a $385 million budget for 2026. This figure is $100 million greater than the 2024 allocation but $306.5 million less than NESDIS’ projected spending for the upcoming year.
“Restarting the program without NASA’s personnel, protocols, and authorities presents both obstacles and opportunities,” the document acknowledges. It further directs NOAA to “provide to OMB by April 24, 2025, any legal authorities that NOAA currently lacks to execute a restart of the GeoXO program for review and possible transmittal to Congress with the Budget. OMB anticipates close collaboration with NOAA in the coming weeks to formulate a plan for the capabilities and acquisition schedule for the restructured program.”
Refocus on Core Weather Data
The revised program advocated by OMB prioritizes the collection of weather data, potentially at the expense of monitoring ocean and atmospheric conditions.
“The program shall be redesigned to conform to budget limitations, not to maximize new capabilities,” the budget proposal emphasizes. Furthermore, the inclusion of a sounder on geostationary satellites is contingent on “meeting the overall budget goals.”
OMB suggests that the initial satellite in the revised geostationary constellation should be equipped with an Advanced Baseline Imager, similar to that utilized in the GOES-R program. Utilizing the existing imager design “will afford NOAA sufficient time to re-compete the next-generation imager as a fixed-price contract with technical specifications that align with the new cost parameters. Considering the operational status of GOES-18 and GOES-19, and maintaining the initial planned launch date for the new series, the first new imager would not be required until the latter part of the 2030s.”
Regarding GeoXO’s lightning mapper, OMB directs NOAA to evaluate whether “the advantages justify the expenses,” particularly in light of the existing capabilities of “ground-based networks.”
Space Weather and Near Earth Orbit Network
NOAA’s Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) would not experience cutbacks under the OMB plan. Funding for NEON in 2026 is projected to increase to $125 million, consistent with previous plans. The budget for the Space Weather Next program is expected to decrease slightly to $150 million in 2026, instead of increasing to approximately $207 million as initially anticipated.
The proposal also includes reductions in funding for satellite ground services, systems architecture, and engineering. Conversely, funding would be sustained for established programs, including GOES-R and polar weather satellites.
Industry and Stakeholder Reactions
Since OMB distributed the passback to NOAA on April 10, the document has been widely circulated, eliciting varied reactions. Responses range from apprehension regarding the potential limitations on NOAA’s geostationary observation capabilities to support for OMB’s emphasis on more affordable instruments and fixed-price contracts.
A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin, the company contracted to build the GeoXO satellites and lightning mapper, stated via email, “It’s premature in the budget process for us to offer comment based on these unofficial reports.”
“Lockheed Martin has a history of successfully developing and delivering groundbreaking geostationary weather satellites and technologies that have been instrumental in saving lives,” the spokesperson added. “Solutions such as GeoXO are also engineered to bolster public safety, search and rescue operations, and mission effectiveness for military endeavors.”