TOPEX/Poseidon was a collaborative mission between NASA and the French space agency CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) that aimed to study the world's oceans and improve our understanding of Earth's climate system. Launched in 1992, this satellite mission set new standards for oceanographic research and significantly advanced our knowledge of Earth's oceans.
TOPEX/Poseidon was equipped with radar altimeters that precisely measured the height of the ocean's surface, allowing scientists to create global, high-precision maps of ocean topography. These maps provided insights into ocean circulation patterns, sea-level changes, and climate phenomena such as El Niño.
The mission's data was crucial for monitoring sea-level rise, enhancing weather forecasting, and studying the impacts of climate change on Earth's oceans. It also played a foundational role in subsequent Earth-observing missions like the Jason series.
