Objectives and Applications
The 3-year nominal QuikSCAT mission life is complete, and it is currently in extended operations. Due to technical failure (the antenna stopped rotating in November 2009), and the instrument no longer collects ocean wind vector data. However it still provides calibration data for other on-orbit scatterometers, which enables the continuation of a climate-quality wind vector dataset. Mission is scheduled for decommissioning in 2014, but may be extended for cross-calibration activities with Rapidscat.
Full Name
Quick Scatterometer
Mission Status
Mission complete
Mission Agencies
Launch Date
19 Jun 1999
Mission Links
EOL Date
02 Oct 2018
Orbit Type
Sun-synchronous
Orbit Period
101 minutes
Orbit Sense
Ascending
Orbit Inclination
98.6 deg
Orbit Altitude
803 km
Orbit Longitude
Orbit LST
6:00
Repeat Cycle
NORAD Catalog #
International Designator
SeaWinds - SeaWinds |
| Category | Parameter | Instrument(s) |
| Ocean | Ocean surface winds | SeaWinds |