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According to sources, the satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean on more than 90 percent of the Earth’s surface.
NASA has launched the world’s first global satellite mission to measure water levels in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans. On Friday, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
“Warming oceans, extreme weather and more intense wildfires are just some of the consequences of climate change,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
“The climate crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and SWOT is the culmination of a long-term international partnership to better equip communities to meet these challenges,” added Nelson.
NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales collaborated on the satellite’s development (CNES). The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the UK Space Agency also contributed to the SWOT spacecraft. On more than 90 percent of the Earth’s surface, the satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean.
According to the US space agency, this data 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.
SWOT will cover the entire Earth’s surface between 78 degrees south and 78 degrees north latitude at least once every 21 days, returning approximately one terabyte of raw data per day.
“”We’re looking forward to seeing SWOT in action,” said Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. ace This satellite exemplifies how science and technological innovations are enhancing life on Earth “SWOT analysis will also assist researchers, policymakers, and resource managers in better assessing and planning for a variety of events such as floods and droughts.
Researchers can improve flood projections for rivers and monitor drought effects on lakes and reservoirs by providing information on where the water is — where it’s coming from and where it’s going.