Two types of direct broadcast services are provided by U.S. NOAA GOES in S-band. One is VAS data, the other, environmental information in WEFAX format.
The WEFAX data consist of retransmissions of processed images produced by the primary imager on the GOES, as well as other meteorological data from ground-based instruments and images produced by the polar orbiting satellites. NOAA provides a daily operational message to confirm schedules and contents of transmissions via an Electronic Bulletin Board it maintains for direct readout users. The bulletin board is accessible via OMNET or through SprintNet. Processed GOES imagery is at 8-km resolution, POES imagery, at resolutions ranging from 8 to 12 km.
The VAS data that are transmitted to the Wallops ground station at full resolution are also retransmitted through the satellite at a bit rate reduced from about 28 to 2.1 Mbps. These data are referred to as "stretched" sensor data. The transmission at the lower bit rate is done to enable capture by less complex and expensive equipment. This transmission is for internal use by NOAA, and while available to any user, is not considered a public service (Rao et al. 1990).