NASA - Topex / Poseidon Oceanography Mission Ends

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MyEarbot
July 11, 2007

The joint NASA/Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales Topex/Poseidon oceanography satellite ceased operations after nearly 62,000 orbits of Earth. The spacecraft lost its ability to maneuver, bringing to a close a successful 13-year mission.

Topex/Poseidon data have helped in hurricane and El Nino/La Nina forecasting, ocean and climate research, ship routing, offshore industries, fisheries management, marine mammals' research, modernizing global tide models and ocean debris tracking.

The satellite's pitch reaction wheel, which helps keep the spacecraft in its proper orbital orientation, stalled on October 9, and ground controllers concluded the wheel was not functioning. The satellite remains in orbit 1,336 kilometers (830 miles) above the Earth, posing no threat to the planet.

Topex/Poseidon's data have been the subject of more than 2,100 research publications; major science and application achievements include:

- the first decade-long global descriptions of seasonal and yearly ocean current changes
- refined scientists' estimates of rising global sea level during the past decade
- provided a new understanding of the role tides play in mixing the deep ocean
- developed the most accurate ever global ocean tides' models
- provided the first global data set to test ocean general circulation model performance
- demonstrated global positioning system measurements in space could determine spacecraft positions with unprecedented accuracy, enabling rapid delivery of data.

Jason, a follow-on oceanography mission launched in December 2001, is continuing Topex/Poseidon's study of ocean circulation affects on the Earth's climate. Jason precisely maps the surface height, wind speed and wave height of 95 percent of Earth's ice-free oceans every 10 days. The data provide invaluable input for short-term weather forecasting, long-term climate forecasting and prediction models.

Topex/Poseidon's stellar performance allowed it to fly in tandem with Jason for nearly three years, doubling data collection. This allowed the study of smaller-scale ocean phenomena like coastal tides, ocean eddies and currents. It also improved understanding of how low-frequency ocean waves transmit signals of climate change.

Beyond Jason, the Ocean Surface Topography Mission is in development for a scheduled launch in 2008. It will continue providing high-precision sea surface height data to the oceanographic science community.

The joint effort had its genesis in 1979, when NASA began developing the Topex mission, while the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales was planning a similar one called Poseidon. The agencies formed a single mission in 1983, and it was launched August 10, 1992. JPL manages the U.S. portion of Topex/Poseidon/Jason for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales manages the French portion of both missions.

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RasputinSir (2 months ago) Show Hide

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If its still up there ,why can't the shuttle be sent up to fix it??

anisocoro (2 months ago) Show Hide

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RasputinSir, Because it orbits at about 1330km ceiling, an altitude too high to be reached by a heavy vehicle like Space Shuttle. And it could be used as a "esxperimental target" for USAF anti-satellite-weapons

RasputinSir (2 months ago) Show Hide

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WHat is th ceiling of the shuttle?It can't carry enough fuel to get there&back?

anisocoro (2 months ago) Show Hide

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Well, Space Shuttles- that are near to the end of operative life- can arrive as high as 600km,

intemperate7 (3 months ago) Show Hide

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its composed primarily of molten rock. i think its called earth because we live on the ground not on water

anisocoro (4 months ago) Show Hide

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was this satellite equipped with special radars able to detect submerged submarines?

Brasilian4Life (1 year ago) Show Hide

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mavica130 (9 months ago) Show Hide

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mean people suck,,,,whimps hide behind a computer screen. Sucks2BU

bramvh005 (7 months ago) Show Hide

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depends on what is meant by rock or earth eh, silicium or quartz or...?

and btw lots of planets, moons and satellites have almost the same composition, so indeed I also wonder why it's called earth

and be a bit more polite can you

pravicpu (1 year ago) Show Hide

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It was one of the best satellite.

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NASA - Topex / Poseidon Oceanography Mission Ends

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