The Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) Program is a cooperative effort between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United Kingdom (UK), and France.

The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is responsible for the construction, integration and launch of NOAA satellites. Operational control of the spacecraft is turned over to NOAA after it is checked out on orbit, normally 21 days after launch. The NOAA satellites carry seven scientific instruments and two for Search and Rescue.

Currently, the POES mission is composed of two polar orbiting satellites known as the Advanced Television Infrared Observation Satellites (TIROS) - N (ATN). Operating as a pair, these satellites primarily provide data used for long-range weather forecasting ensuring that infrared and non-visible data for any region of the Earth are no more than six hours old.

POES data provides economic, humanistic, and environmental benefits on a continuous, reliable basis.

The benefits that directly enhance the quality of human life and protection of Earth's environment include:

• Over 50% of the U.S. public utilizes 3-to-5 day weather forecasts for planning recreational and business activities
  
  
• City, state and federal government agencies utilize TIROS data products to manage resources, plan civic and industrial expansion, schedule services, and monitor population growth
  
  
• Countless lives and properties have been saved by monitoring severe storm movement and forecasting national disasters
  
  
• From monitoring ozone levels and animal migrations patterns to forecasting and detecting forest fires, TIROS is a vital tool of environmental research and protection
  
  
• Global data collected about the earth is used to monitor the environment and trend changes over time
  
  
• Search and Rescue instruments carried on POES satellites contributed to saving over 24,500 lives