McIDAS Satellite image data
File type: Graphics file
A .goes file contains satellite image data used by the McIDAS meteorological data analysis system.
It is a specialized graphic data file rather than a standard image intended for ordinary image viewers.
File type category:
Graphics file
Date updated: September 27, 2026
McIDAS is a meteorological data analysis system developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center. The .goes file extension identifies image data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series.
The file belongs to the McIDAS data workflow and is intended to be interpreted using the system's satellite-image display and analysis functions. Its contents can include image data and information required for meteorological processing, so renaming it to a common image extension does not convert it.
McIDAS is used on supported scientific-computing platforms, including Linux and other Unix-like systems. The format remains relevant when working with compatible McIDAS satellite data, although it is not a general-purpose consumer image format.
Open the .goes file with McIDAS or compatible McIDAS software. Use the software's satellite-image data and display functions rather than trying to open the file in a standard image viewer.
If the file does not load, it may require associated McIDAS data or metadata, or it may have been created for a particular McIDAS processing workflow.
A .goes file cannot be reliably converted by simply changing its file extension. Use McIDAS image-processing or export functions to create a standard raster image when a visual copy is needed.
The available output formats depend on the McIDAS software and the data product.
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