Jason-2 To Make Leap Into Space For Eumetsat

chris

The launch date of the Jason-2 ocean altimetry satellite is currently scheduled for the morning of June 15th from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Once in orbit, and after calibration, the satellite will provide oceanographic products on an operational basis to the large EUMETSAT user community using the European weather satellite organization’s proven dissemination capabilities.

The main instrument onboard Jason-2 will be the Poseidon 3 dual frequency altimeter. The final orbit of the satellite will be 1,336 km above the Earth at a 66º inclination. The satellite is currently undergoing various testing procedures. Environmental testing was completed at the end of 2007, followed by the spacecraft qualification review held at Thales Alenia Space in Cannes on March 11th. Operational readiness reviews are scheduled to take place at EUMETSAT at the end of March between the four partners—EUMETSAT, the French Space Agency (CNES), the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), at the beginning of April.

Toward the end of April, Jason-2 will be transported by road from Cannes to Toulouse. From Toulouse, the satellite will be flown by 747 aircraft to Vandenberg AFB. Jason-2’s Ocean Surface Topography Mission will provide a vital contribution to the monitoring of climate change, ocean circulation and weather. Jason-2 is the continuation of the existing successful cooperation between the United States and Europe and is a global endeavour with responsibilities for satellite development and launch shared between CNES and NASA, who will be responsible for routine satellite operations once Jason-2 has reached orbit. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is managing the mission for NASA. Data processing will be carried out by CNES, EUMETSAT and NOAA, depending on the type of product, with EUMETSAT acting as an interface for near-real-time product distribution to European users.

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