What's New
TOPEX/Poseidon 12 Years of Service (08/10/04)
August 10, 2004: Originally designed for three to five years, the TOPEX/Poseidon spacecraft is still providing valuable ocean altimetry data 12 years later!
TOPEX/Poseidon Tandem Mission Orbit Maneuvers (08/28/02)
Three propulsive maneuvers to move
TOPEX/Poseidon to a new Tandem Mission orbit were successfully
executed on August 15, 19, and 23. There are three maneuvers scheduled in
mid-September to complete the orbit transfer campaign. These
maneuvers will place TOPEX/Poseidon in an orbital position halfway
between that of Jason-1. In this new formation flying
configuration, the two satellites will increase global data coverage
twofold, bringing us that much closer to uncovering some of the ocean
clues in smaller scale circulation features like eddies, and to
solving the global climate puzzle.
Watch the Tandem Mission Flash animation
Celebrating Ten Years of Ocean Observations (08/10/02)
View the Flash Animation
Watch the Video
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When it turns 10, Topex/Poseidon will have made 46,763 trips around Earth measuring the height of
the oceans to within 4 centimeters (less than 2 inches). Since launch, it will have faithfully
provided more than 98 percent of the science data it was designed to collect despite technical
and mechanical challenges, and its advancing years.
(Full Story)
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Where is it now? (07/22/02)
Find out where TOPEX/Poseidon is
right now. To find out the best times to view it in your area, follow the directions on the
Missions page.
Nine Year Anniversary of TOPEX/Poseidon (8/10/01)
Like "The Little Engine That Could," TOPEX/Poseidon just keeps chugging along in orbit
taking the pulse of our oceans. August 10 marks the 9th anniversary of the
launch of this remarkable satellite, which has revolutionized our understanding of
the oceans. Circling Earth every 112 minutes, the satellite has run it's familiar
course over 42,000 times in the 9 years it's been flying.
(Full Story)