NASA Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/Jason-2 Satellite

OSTM/Jason-2 (Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason-2) was a joint satellite mission launched on June 20, 2008, by NASA, CNES (Centre national d'études spatiales), EUMETSAT (European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). It was designed to measure the height of the ocean surface with unprecedented accuracy, providing crucial data for climate monitoring, weather forecasting, and oceanographic research. The mission followed in the footsteps of its predecessors, TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1, contributing to the long-term study of ocean circulation, sea level rise, and marine weather patterns.

Jason-2 used radar altimetry to collect precise measurements of sea surface height, which helps track ocean currents, tides, and the distribution of heat in the oceans. This data has been vital for improving our understanding of global climate change, such as monitoring rising sea levels and the melting of polar ice caps.

The mission continued until 2019 when it was retired after serving for over a decade, but it helped set the stage for follow-up missions like Jason-3, ensuring the continuity of these vital oceanographic measurements.