SWOT cannot provide real-time early warning of floods on its own, but its data complements satellites with shorter revisit times.
SWOT can precisely locate and measure water masses in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as standing water in usually dry areas.
The SWOT satellite acquired images of Saint-Omer one month apart, on 3 December 2023 and 3 January 2024.
The data from SWOT are expected to help scientists improve flood prediction models and inform land planning and emergency response.
The SWOT satellite has an average revisit interval of 21 days at a same point on the globe, depending on latitude.
The red patches on the map of the Pacific Ocean west of Peru represent seamounts identified using SWOT data.
The KaRIn instrument aboard the SWOT satellite measures sea surface topography at high resolution across a 120-kilometre swath.
The project continues 30 years of Franco-American cooperation in satellite altimetry through the TOPEX-Poseidon, Jason, and SWOT programs.
The first stage booster for NROL-146 was making its 16th flight and previously supported NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and nine Starlink missions.
The first stage booster supporting NROL-146 previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and nine Starlink missions.
The 2024-04-01 mission was the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting that mission, which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and nine Starlink missions.
The first stage booster supporting the mission is flying for the 15th time after previous launches of NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and eight Starlink missions.
The first stage booster previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and seven Starlink missions.
SWOT’s Ka-band Radar Interferometer produced clear ocean observations immediately after instrument activation.
SWOT was launched in December 2022 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The Falcon 9 booster previously supported the launches of NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, and Transporter-8.
SWOT climbed to its final orbit between 10 and 20 July.
The change of orbit signifies the start of the SWOT satellite’s nominal science phase.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory handles some of the instruments onboard SWOT, requiring coordination with CNES.
The SWOT satellite measures the height of water bodies and the ocean around the globe.