NASA has launched its first mission to study freshwater systems from a global perspective. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission launched from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday, December 16 at 3:46 a.m. PT. The SWOT spacecraft was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The mission aims to observe not only the oceans, but also freshwater systems such as lakes and rivers, making it the first mission to do so from space. The mission is intended to study the flow of water between these systems and the ocean and look at the depth of the water to get a more complete picture of the flow of water across the planet.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket takes off with the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) spacecraft on board. NASA/Keegan Barber
Understanding the flow of water around the world is important to understanding the effects of climate change and to more closely monitoring it.
“Warming seas, extreme weather, more severe wildfires—these are just some of the consequences humanity faces as a result of climate change,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. “The climate crisis requires a comprehensive approach, and SWOT is the realization of a long-term international partnership that will ultimately better equip communities to meet these challenges.”
SWOT will be able to survey freshwater systems over 90% of the Earth’s surface, covering the global area at least once every 21 days. It will use a radar-based instrument called the Ka-band Radar Interferometer, or KaRIn, to observe large areas of the surface at once. Being able to observe large swaths of surface with higher resolution allows for more accurate monitoring of freshwater systems.
“We look forward to seeing SWOT in action,” said Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Sciences Division. “This satellite embodies how we are improving life on Earth through science and technological innovations. The data this innovation will provide is essential to better understanding how Earth’s air, water and ecosystems interact , and how people can thrive on our changing planet.”
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