In January 1998, NASA awarded the Boeing Company of El Segundo, CA a contract for the design, manufacture, integration and launch of three Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, GOES N, GOES O and GOES P. The GOES program is funded and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Based on the highly successful Boeing 601 spacecraft, the new satellites will provide more accurate location of severe storms and other weather phenomena, resulting in more precise warnings to the public. Boeing will furnish the communications subsystem with a search-and-rescue capability to detect distress signals from ships and airplanes, and will also furnish space environmental monitoring instruments and operator training. Ground station upgrades will be provided by Boeing's teammate Integral Systems Inc. Boeing will also integrate three government-furnished instruments: an Imager and Sounder built by ITT Industries, Inc., and a Solar X-Ray Imager built by Lockheed Martin. The first Boeing-built GOES satellite, GOES D, was launched in 1980. This was followed by GOES E in 1981, GOES F in 1983, GOES G in 1986 (booster failed during launch), and GOES H in 1987. The Boeing Company is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites, and is also a major provider of space systems, satellites, and payloads for national defense, science and environmental applications.