Objectives and Applications
The first satellite mission with a swath altimeter, measuring mesoscale ocean features and inland water bodies at high resolution. In addition to the current applications with the nadir altimeters constellation, it aims to advance hydrology, and oceanography by capturing fine-scale features over a wide swath, supporting climate research and water resource management.
Full Name
Surface Water Ocean Topography
Mission Status
Operational (nominal)
Mission Agencies
Launch Date
16 Dec 2022
Mission Links
EOL Date
Sep 2029
Orbit Type
Inclined, non-sun-synchronous
Orbit Period
102.8 minutes
Orbit Sense
N/A
Orbit Inclination
77.6 deg
Orbit Altitude
891 km
Orbit Longitude
Orbit LST
Repeat Cycle
21 days
NORAD Catalog #
International Designator
| Category | Parameter | Instrument(s) |
| Atmosphere | Atmospheric Humidity Fields | AMR-S |
| Gravity and Magnetic Fields | Gravity, Magnetic and Geodynamic measurements | DGXX-S, GPSP, LRA, POSEIDON-3C Altimeter |
| Land | Landscape topography | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), POSEIDON-3C Altimeter |
| Soil moisture | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) |
| Multi-purpose imagery (land) | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) |
| Inland Waters | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) |
| Ocean | Ocean topography/currents | AMR-S, DGXX-S, GPSP, Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), LRA, POSEIDON-3C Altimeter |
| Ocean surface winds | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), POSEIDON-3C Altimeter |
| Ocean wave height and spectrum | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), POSEIDON-3C Altimeter |
| Snow & Ice | Sea ice cover, edge and thickness | Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) |