NASA set to launch first global water survey satellite

Subject: Science and Technology

In the news:

A SpaceX rocket was due for launch from California early on Friday carrying a U.S.-French satellite designed to conduct the first global survey of Earth’s surface waters, shedding new light on the mechanics and consequences of climate change.

About the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite (SWOT):

Launched by: NASA
Launching vehicle: Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX
Launching site: Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Satellite built by: NASA and French space agency CNES
- The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft also has contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the UK Space Agency.
Aim: To observe nearly all the water on our planet’s surface, with a prime mission of three years.
- The satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean on more than 90% of Earth’s surface.
- This information will provide insights into how the ocean influences climate change; how a warming world affects lakes, rivers, and reservoirs; and how communities can better prepare for disasters, such as floods.
Features of the satellite:
- SWOT will cover the entire Earth’s surface between 78 degrees south and 78 degrees north latitude at least once every 21 days, sending back about one terabyte of unprocessed data per day.
- The scientific heart of the spacecraft is an innovative instrument called the Ka-band radar interferometer (KaRIn), which marks a major technological advance.
- SWOT mission will provide data on more than 95% of the world’s lakes larger than 15 acres (62,500 square meters) and rivers wider than 330 feet (100 meters) across.