QuickTime VR of TOPEX/Poseidon

SSH and SST - Pacific Ocean

Early morning at the launch pad

TOPEX/Poseidon Line Drawing

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

t - 12 minutes

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

The Jason-2 satellite sees something brewing in the Pacific. Researchers say it could be a significant El Niño with implications for global weather and climate.

SSH and SST - Global

Jason-1 readies for launch in its bay at Vandenberg, AFB (10/31/01)

TOPEX/Poseidon Launch

Jason-1 atop the Delta II Photo: Tom Shain

For over 20 years NASA has been tracking the global surface topography of the ocean in order to understand the important role it plays in our daily lives. Climate change is causing our Ocean to war...

High Resolution Jason-1 launch images

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Nov. 21, 2020, at 9:17 a.m. PST

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

Jason-1: JMR instrument

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

Jason-3 Animation

Fathoming the forces that determine global sea levels can be daunting. We present a guide to the basics of ocean surface topography.

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

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.

t - 7 minutes - Photo: Tom Shain

The Jason-3 satellite, launched on January 17, 2016, is allowing scientists to continue a 23-year record of crucial ocean monitoring.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Nov. 21, 2020, at 9:17 a.m. PST

The ocean is responsible for Earth's mild climate and makes life on Earth possible for all creatures.