The successful launch of Jason-3 on January 17, 2016, was a major accomplishment for the Jason mission, but it is by no means the end of the road. On the contrary, much of the hard work has just begun.
Satellite instruments and the data they provide are incredibly precise. Once operational, the Jason-3 satellite will be able to detect changes in sea level height down to the millimeter. This requires a careful fine-tuning of the instruments from here on Earth.
Once they reach space, satellites are put through a “commissioning phase” that usually lasts a few months. During this phase, the teams check each of the satellite’s systems to make sure they are working properly. They will also evaluate the accuracy of the data coming from the satellite and make sure that the instruments it carries are properly calibrated. Once all systems are checked out and deemed operational, the satellite will be moved into its final destination orbit.
Three days after Jason-3 launched, our partners at CNES began to acquire and process real-time data from the satellite. NOAA and CNES will continue to calibrate and validate the instruments and data while EUMETSAT conducts processing trials of the data received at the Usingen ground station. Once this six month phase is complete, Jason-3 will officially begin operations in its planned orbit.
These highly detailed measurements of sea surface height, a measure used to study sea level rise, are a critical factor in understanding Earth’s dynamic climate. Sea surface height data are also used to study hurricane intensity, tsunami dynamics, El Niño Southern Oscillation, eddy dynamics, ocean boundary currents, coastal and shallow water tides, as well as weather and climate forecasting.
Below is a list of major commissioning phase milestones for the Jason-3 satellite. Be sure to stay tuned to the Jason-3 homepage and the NESDIS Twitter and Facebook pages for milestone updates and information as Jason-3 prepares to continue to an over 20-year data legacy. The measurements from Jason-3 will advance our efforts to understand the Earth as a system and the causes of sea level rise.
Commissioning Phase Milestones
DateMilestoneDescription
01/17/2016
Jason 3 LaunchJason 3 launch scheduled at 10:42 pst The Jason-3 spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 17, 2016.
1/18-20/2016
Jason 3 Launch and Early Orbit PhaseThe spacecraft and instrument teams have completed the 3-day Launch and Early Operations phase with the successful activation of the spacecraft sub-systems and all the science instruments.
2/12/2016
Jason 3 to reach final orbitJason-3 entered its final orbit, directly behind Jason-2. The satellites are flying 560km apart with only 1 minute and 20 seconds between them. Shortly after reaching this milestone, NESDIS will release first Jason 3 demonstration products to NWS Ocean Prediction Center and National Hurricane Center for early evaluation.
5/24/2016
Official Satellite Handover from CNES to NOAAA handover review for satellite operations will be conducted between CNES and NOAA in Suitland, MD.
6/21/2016
First Verification Workshop to approve official release of operational productsWorkshop to announce official release of significant wave height, ocean current, and sea surface heights as Jason 3 operational products.
9/1/2016
Begin Jason-2’s move to interleave orbitJason-2 will begin its move to an interleave orbit, leaving Jason-3 to operate in its final orbit alone.
12/15/2016 (TBC)
Final Verification WorkshopWorkshop to announce official release of the Jason-3 climate data records for use by the climate community.