The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) have the ability to constantly oversee a large area of the Earth and send real time data to users. GOES sends not only weather data but it also watches the sun continuously and at the same time provides critical data that helps rescue personal locate victims in distress.

This is a story about an incredibly challenging rescue that took place on January 2nd, 2010, 250 miles off the shore of North Carolina.
Dennis Clements was on his way to the Caribbean when severe weather struck and damaged his boat leaving him alone in the middle of the frigid Atlantic Ocean. Miraculously, after an hour floating in the cold water, he bumped into a life raft thrown by the US Coast Guard and shortly after that he was pulled out by a Navy rescue diver. The USS Eisenhower was on its way to Afghanistan when they heard the Coast Guards call for help. Dennis was saved thanks to a distress signal sent from his emergency beacon (EPIRB) to the GOES satellite shortly before he was dragged under water.

Read more about this story: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/search-rescue2010.html

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