BackForward Satellite Programme: Surface Water and Ocean Topography 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Single-satellite programme, addressing ocean surface observation.
  • Joint NASA-CNES programme framed in the NASA Earth Science Decadal Survey: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) leader, CNES providing the altimeter and other elements.
  • The platform is actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time of the satellites is 3 years.
  • High-inclination drifting orbit.
  • See details at http://swot.jpl.nasa.gov.
Data circulation
  • TBD.
Agencies NASA , CNES
Programme lifetime 2022 - 2026
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned