On this day in history...
...in 1978, NASA launched Seasat, the world’s first satellite designed specifically to study the oceans. Seasat carried a suite of innovative instruments to observe key oceanographic parameters, marking a major milestone in the development of satellite-based Earth observation.
The satellite's key instruments included a radar altimeter to measure sea surface height, a scatterometer to estimate wind speed and direction, a microwave radiometer to determine sea surface temperature, and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to observe wave and current patterns. These technologies enabled scientists to monitor the oceans on a global scale for the first time, providing crucial data on ocean circulation, wave dynamics, and air-sea interactions.
Although Seasat's mission was cut short after just 106 days due to an electrical failure, its achievements paved the way for future oceanographic satellite programs. Missions like TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason, and others have built upon Seasat’s legacy, continuing to expand our understanding of the world's oceans through satellite technology.
Seasat remains a symbol of innovation in oceanography, having demonstrated the feasibility and importance of monitoring Earth's oceans from space.
The data acquired by Seasat are available here.
Picture taken from ESA website.
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