Ocean Surface Topography Mission

(OSTM) - Jason 2 Overview

The Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM) is a joint effort by four organizations to measure sea surface height by using a radar altimeter mounted on a low-earth orbiting satellite called Jason-2. The four mission participants are:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
France’s Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
European Meteorological Satellite Organisation (EUMETSAT)

The Jason-2 satellite mission launched successfully on June 20, 2008.

This satellite altimetry mission provides sea surface heights for determining ocean circulation, climate change and sea-level rise. The Jason-2 satellite is the follow-on to the TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1 satellites. The research satellites, TOPEX/POSEIDON and Jason-1, have been instrumental in meeting NOAA’s operational need for sea surface height measurements necessary for ocean modeling, forecasting El Niño/La Niña events, and hurricane intensity prediction.

Under the OSTM program NOAA provides support from its satellite ground segment capabilities for management of the Jason-2 Satellite flight operations during its routine operational phases and acquires, produces, and distributes geophysical data in a manner beneficial to all interested users.