Based on the highly successful Boeing 601 spacecraft, the GOES satellites provide more accurate location of severe storms and other weather phenomena, resulting in more precise warnings to the public. The three-axis modified Boeing 601 body-stabilized spacecraft design enables the primary sensors to "stare" at Earth and thus frequently image clouds, monitor Earth's surface temperature, and sound Earth's atmosphere for its vertical temperature and water vapor distribution. Atmospheric phenomena can be tracked, ensuring real-time coverage of short-lived dynamic events, such as severe local storms and tropical hurricanes and cyclones, two types of meteorological events that directly affect public safety, property, and ultimately, economic health and development.