[Satellite Today – 6-20-08] The Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/Jason-2 satellite has been successfully launched, NASA said June 20. The satellite, a NASA and French Space Agency (CNES) oceanography satellite, was launched via a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. The mission began with an on-time launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
    The OSTM/Jason-2 spacecraft will be delivered into a circular, low Earth orbit, where it will begin its three-year mission to map the surface of 95 percent of Earth’s ice-free oceans. Information collected by the 1,115-pound satellite is expected to provide several benefits, including improved weather forecasting, enhanced hurricane prediction, and a better understanding of ocean climate phenomena.
    The mission culminates more than three decades of research by NASA and CNES in this field. This expertise will be passed on to the world’s weather and environmental forecasting agencies, which will be responsible for collecting the data. The involvement of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) as mission partners on OSTM/Jason 2 helps establish this proven research capability as a valuable tool for use in everyday applications.