Weather Satellites: User Views on the Consequences of Eliminating a Civilian Polar Orbiter

In response to a congressional request, GAO examined: (1) how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and foreign countries use NOAA polar-orbiting satellites; (2) how the loss of one or both satellites would affect these users; (3) the extent to which the two NOAA geostationary weather satellites or the two DOD weather satellites could compensate the National Weather Service for the loss of the polar orbiters; and (4) the likelihood and expected duration of the loss of all polar-orbiter coverage if a one-polar-orbiter system were instituted.