Hurricane Andrew-infrared image taken by GOES 7 Andrew is crossing the Florida coast and making landfall August 24, 1992, at Dade County, Florida. GOES 7, known as GOES-H before becoming operational, is an American satellite. It was originally built as a weather satellite, and formed part of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system. As of 2009, it is operational over the Pacific Ocean, providing communications for the Pacific Islands.