KSC-08pd1670
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The upper canister cylinder stops above the wrapped Ocean Surface Topography Mission, or OSTM/Jason 2, spacecraft. Once the canister is lowered and attached to the lower segments, the OSTM/Jason 2 will be transported to the launch pad. The launch of the OSTM/Jason 2 aboard a Delta II rocket is scheduled for Friday, June 20, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch window extends from 12:46 a.m. to 12:55 a.m. PDT. The satellite will be placed in an 830-mile-high orbit at an inclination of 66 degrees after separating from the Delta II 55 minutes after liftoff. The five primary science instruments of the Ocean Surface Topography Mission aboard the Jason 2 spacecraft are dedicated to measuring ocean surface height. These measurements will be used to evaluate and forecast climate changes and improve weather forecasting. The results also are expected to help forecasters better predict hurricane intensity. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Liberotti
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Details
NASA ID
KSC-08pd1670
Date Created
June 1, 2008
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Vandenberg AFB, CA