OSTM Launch

A new NASA-French space agency oceanography satellite launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on a globe-circling voyage to continue charting sea level, a vital indicator of global climate change. The mission will return a vast amount of new data that will improve weather, climate and ocean forecasts.

With a thunderous roar and fiery glow, the Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 satellite arced through the blackness of an early central coastal California morning at 12:46 a.m. PDT on 20th June 2008, climbing into space atop a Delta II rocket. Fifty-five minutes later, OSTM/Jason 2 separated from the rocket's second stage, and then unfurled its twin sets of solar arrays. Ground controllers successfully acquired the spacecraft's signals. Initial telemetry reports show it to be in excellent health.

OSTM/Jason 2 entered orbit about 10 to 15 kilometers below Jason 1. The new spacecraft will gradually use its thrusters to raise itself into the same 1,336-kilometer orbital altitude as Jason 1 and position itself to follow Jason 1's ground track, orbiting about 60 seconds behind Jason 1. The two spacecraft will fly in formation, making nearly simultaneous measurements for about six months to allow scientists to precisely calibrate OSTM/Jason 2's instruments.

Once cross-calibration is complete, Jason 1 will alter course, adjusting its orbit so that its ground tracks fall midway between those of OSTM/Jason 2. Together, the two spacecraft will double global data coverage. This tandem mission will improve our knowledge of tides in coastal and shallow seas and internal tides in the open ocean, while improving our understanding of ocean currents and eddies.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• OSTM
• Ocean
• Surface
• Topography
• Mission
• Launch
• Liftoff

[TECHKLEC]

Thanks for the great descriptive text on the right!

[HAL11000]

My first personally seen launch!

[ckikilwai]

s/c seperation was cool!

[Nasiar99]

delta 2's get me hawt

[g0pher]

Nice upload. Really quick :)

[IllyaBuffman]

great vid!!