TOPEX/Poseidon Artist's Concept

These photos were taken during the Payload Attach Fitting (PAF) mating operation with Jason-1. (11/14/01) Photos: Scott Michel

Water Vapor

Wave Height

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, topped with the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite secured inside its payload fairing, is rolled to Space Launch Complex 4

Jason-3 Ready for Launch

Jason-1 Spacecraft Animation

Jason-1 Launch Configuration

For NASA JPL engineer Parag Vaze, studying Earth’s rising ocean has been a career three decades in the making.

Watch the Jason-3 Mission Briefing from Friday, Jan 15, 2016 - panelists gave an overview of the Jason-3 mission.

Jason-1 in full flight configuration

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying the Jason-3 spacecraft. Liftoff was at 10:42 a.m. PST (1:42 p.m. EST).

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket

Jason-3 Animation

TOPEX/Poseidon over Earth

Ocean Dynamic Topography

Launch preparations are progressing! (11/21/01) Photos: Stacy Mitchell of John Hopkins APL/TIMED project

Jason-1 atop the Delta II Photo: Tom Shain

Jason-1 Line Drawing

These photos were taken during the Payload Attach Fitting (PAF) mating operation with Jason-1. (11/14/01) Photos: Scott Michel

Mike Davis in front of the faring

For NASA scientist Severine Fournier, studying our planet knows no borders.

The Falcon 9 protective payload fairing containing the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite sits in front of a testing chamber where mission team members tested whether the spacecraft could endure the loud sounds it will encounter during launch.

To provide scientists with essential information about global and regional changes in the seas, NASA will launch the Jason-3 satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will join a long-standing family of Earth observing satellites from NASA and European partners.