GOES 18 live — the Earth image it is taking right now
GOES 18 is a meteorological satellite feeding the world's weather forecasts, launched in 2022 and tracked in orbit ever since (NORAD 51850). Cosmik shows its live position in real-time 3D, computed in your browser from current orbital data — free, no login.
It sits in geostationary orbit roughly 35,796 km above the equator, completing one orbit per day so it hovers over the same spot on Earth. That's why it never appears to move across the sky — and why it's far too faint for the naked eye. In Cosmik's 3D view you can see it parked on the geostationary ring alongside its neighbors.
GOES 18 live
The full disk of Earth — the Pacific and the western Americas — as GOES 18 sees it right now. NOAA publishes a new frame about every 10 minutes.
Source: NOAA / NESDIS STAR (GOES-West)
GOES 18 is geostationary: it stays over the same longitude while the Earth turns beneath it, so its dot on the live map never moves. The picture is what changes.
Open the live map → GOES 18
GOES 18 at a glance
- Category: weather
- NORAD ID: 51850
- Launched: 2022
- Orbit altitude: 35,792 – 35,796 km
- Orbital period: ~24 hours
- Inclination: 0°
Can you see GOES 18 with the naked eye?
Not with the naked eye — geostationary satellites are ~36,000 km away. Long-exposure photos show them as fixed dots among star trails. Use Cosmik's 3D view to see where it sits on the GEO ring relative to your longitude.
Frequently asked questions
How high does GOES 18 orbit?
GOES 18 orbits between 35,792 and 35,796 km above Earth, completing an orbit every ~24 hours at an inclination of 0°. These values come from its current orbital elements and shift slightly over time.
Where is GOES 18 right now?
Open Cosmik's live satellite view and search "GOES 18" — its position is propagated in real time from the latest published orbital data, so you see exactly where it is this second, plus its ground track and upcoming passes.
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