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>> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE ON
THE CENTRAL COAST OF
CALIFORNIA.
I'M NASA'S MEGAN CRUZ, AND YOU
ARE WATCHING THE PRELAUNCH NEWS
CONFERENCE FOR SWOT.
SWOT IS THE SURFACE WATER AND
OCEAN TOPOGRAPHY SATELLITE
TARGETED TO LIFT OFF TOMORROW,
DECEMBER 15 AT 3:46 A.M.
PACIFIC TIME ATOP A SpaceX
FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM LAUNCH PAD
4-EAST HERE AT VANDENBERG.
THE LAUNCH WILL BE MANAGED BY
NASA'S LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM.
SWOT WILL SURVEY NEARLY ALL
WATER ON THE PLANET'S SURFACE
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THIS
GLOBAL INVENTORY OF OUR WATER
WILL HELP SCIENTISTS BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE WATER IS,
WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, AND
WHERE IT'S GOING.
THESE OBSERVATIONS WILL PROVIDE
INSIGHTS INTO HOW THE OCEAN
INFLUENCES CLIMATE CHANGE, HOW
A WARMING WORLD AFFECTS LAKES,
RIVERS AND RESERVOIRS AND HOW
COMMUNITIES CAN HELP BETTER
PLAN FOR DISASTERS LIKE FLOODS.
SWOT IS A JOINT MISSION BETWEEN
NASA AND FRANCE'S SPACE AGENCY
CNES WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
THE U.K. AND CANADIAN SPACE
AGENCIES.
TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
MISSION, WE HAVE A
DISTINGUISHED PANEL GATHERED
FOR YOU.
TO THE FAR RIGHT, WE HAVE KAREN
ST. GERMAIN, NASA'S DIRECTOR OF
EARTH SCIENCE.
NEXT TO HER, TIM DUNN, LAUNCH
DIRECTOR, NASA'S LAUNCH
SERVICES PROGRAM.
JULIANNA SCHEIMAN DIRECTOR OF
SpaceX'S CIVIL SATELLITE
MISSIONS.
PARAG VAZE, SWOT PROJECT
MANAGER, NASA'S JET PROPULSION
LABORATORY.
THIERRY LAFON.
EACH WILL HAVE OPENING REMARKS
AND TAKE QUESTIONS FROM
REPORTERS.
ANYONE IN THE ROOM WITH RAISE
THEIR HANDS AND THOSE ON THE
PHONE CAN GET INTO THE QUESTION
QUEUE BY DIALING STAR 1.
THOSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA CAN POSE
QUESTIONS USING #ASKNASA.
KAREN, KICK US OFF.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, MEGAN.
SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT
THE PLANET THAT NASA STUDIES
MOST IS OUR HOME PLANET, THE
EARTH, AND IN THE VIDEO, I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO SHOW HERE
IN JUST A MINUTE, WE HAVE A
FLEET OF 25 MISSIONS THAT,
TODAY, ARE LOOKING DOWN AT THE
EARTH TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
THE EARTH WORKS AS A SYSTEM,
AND OBSERVING ICE AND WATER AND
LAND IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO WE'RE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE
LATEST ADDITION TO OUR EARTH
SCIENCE FLEET.
THIS WILL BE THE SWOT MISSION
THAT WE'LL BE LAUNCHING
TOMORROW MORNING.
EARTH IS A WATER PLANET, AND
SWOT WILL BRING US A
REVOLUTIONARY ADVANCE IN OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WATER
MOVES AROUND OUR PLANET, AND
STARTS IN THE OCEANS, IT GETS
DELIVERED TO LAND THROUGH THE
ATMOSPHERE, AND EVENTUALLY
RETURNS TO THE OCEANS.
THAT'S THE WATER CYCLE.
AND AS OUR CLIMATE IS CHANGING,
THE WATER CYCLE IS AMPLIFIED,
SO SWOT IS GOING TO GIVE US A
VERY HIGH-FIDELITY
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WATER IS
MOVING AROUND THE PLANET.
WE'RE BUILDING, OF COURSE, ON A
40 YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH CNES,
IN ADVANCING THE TECHNOLOGIES,
AND AGAIN, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM THE U.K. AND CANADIAN
SPACE AGENCIES, AND THIS NEW
TECHNOLOGY WILL GIVE US TEN
TIMES IMPROVEMENT IN THE
FIDELITY, THE SPATIAL
RESOLUTION IN OUR MEASUREMENTS
OF WATER HEIGHT.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS
THE CLIMATE WARMS, OCEANS ARE
RISING, OUR COASTLINES ARE
CHANGING AND WE'RE SEEING LARGE
FLUCTUATIONS IN INLAND WATER
BODIES.
LAKES, RESERVOIRS AND RIVERS.
FROM A SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE,
THE MEASUREMENTS FROM SWOT WILL
HELP US REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW
THIS WATER CYCLE IS CHANGING
AND THE ROLE, THE CRITICAL ROLE
THE OCEANS PLAY IN CLIMATE
CHANGE.
FROM A USER PERSPECTIVE, THIS
IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE MOST
EXCITED ABOUT, THE DATA FROM
SWOT WILL INFORM COMMUNITIES
AROUND THE WORLD, FROM WATER
MANAGERS AND AGRICULTURE
PRODUCERS INLAND TO COASTAL
COMMUNITIES WHO ARE DEALING
WITH INCREASED RISK OF
FLOODING, AND DISASTER PLANNING
AND PREPAREDNESS.
ANOTHER EXCITING THING ABOUT
SWOT IS NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE
DOING BUT HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
WE'LL BE SHARING THE DATA FROM
SWOT BROADLY AND FREELY TO
PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE WHO CAN
USE IT TO INFORM THEIR
DECISIONS.
THIS WILL HAPPEN JUST A FEW
MONTHS AFTER WE ARE ALSO
BUILDING TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE
MAKE BEST USE OF THE DATA.
SO REALLY EXCITING MISSION.
INCREDIBLE ADVANCES IN SCIENCE,
AND WE JUST CAN'T WAIT.
THANKS, MEGAN.
>> CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT LAUNCH.
WITH THAT, WHY DON'T WE GO TO
TIM?
>> THANK YOU, MEGAN.
PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY
REPRESENTING THE WOMEN AND MEN
OF NASA'S LAUNCH SERVICES
PROGRAM, AND I'M ALSO VERY
PROUD TO BE THE NASA LAUNCH
DIRECTOR FOR THIS INCREDIBLE
MISSION, SWOT.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE A SMALL
PART OF A VERY AMAZING TEAM
THAT'S REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.
SWOT IS THE SIXTH NASA SCIENCE
MISSION THAT WE WILL LAUNCH ON
A FALCON 9 ROCKET, AND IT WILL
DEPART EARTH FROM HISTORIC
SLICK 4 HERE AT VANDENBERG
SPACE FORCE BASE.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE
FALCON 9 SWOT LAUNCH TEAM.
SpaceX, NASA, CNES, TALIS AND
U.S. SPACE FORCE DELTA 30.
THIS ASSEMBLED GROUP OF
PROFESSIONALS IS EXCEPTIONAL
AND WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT
TO GIVE YOU GUYS A PEEK BEHIND
THE CURTAIN.
SO WE REPRESENT EACH OF OUR
ORGANIZATIONS, BUT IF YOU COULD
SEE WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE
SCENES WITH THE TEAMWORK
INVOLVED, WITH WORKING WITH
KAREN'S TEAM AT HEADQUARTERS
AND PARAG'S TEAM AT JPL AND
JULIANNA REPRESENTS AN
INCREDIBLE LAUNCH VEHICLE TEAM
AT SpaceX, IT'S AMAZING HOW
WE'RE ABLE TO BRING ALL OF THIS
TOGETHER TO BRING THIS SWOT
CAPABILITY TO ALL OF US HERE ON
EARTH.
SO WE GET TO SEE THAT EVERY DAY
IN WHAT WE DO, BUT JUST WANTED
TO HAVE A MOMENT TO SHARE THAT
WITH YOU GUYS.
AND ONE OTHER PERSONAL ITEM.
I'M THE LAUNCH DIRECTOR FOR
THIS MISSION, BUT I BY FAR
DON'T DO IT ALONE, I HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE TEAM FROM LSP.
THERE IS ONE INDIVIDUAL THIS IS
HIS LAST LSP MISSION, THAT IS
THE SENIOR LAUNCH DIRECTOR OMAR
BAEZ, I KNOW YOU MAY BE OUT
THERE WATCHING.
YOU'VE MEANT SO MUCH TO ME, YOU
BROUGHT ME INTO THIS ROLE OVER
THE PAST DECADE PLUS, AND IF
MANY PEOPLE HAVE WORKED WITH
OMAR AND KNOW HIM, HE'S
INCREDIBLE TO WHAT HE'S BROUGHT
TO LSP AND HOW HE HAS STEADIED
OUR LAUNCH TEAM FOR SO MANY
YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM WHEN HE
RETIRES IN FEBRUARY, BUT DON'T
GO FAR, I'LL BE PICKING UP THE
PHONE TO CALL YOU OFTEN.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE INTEGRATED
FALCON 9 TEAM HAS BEEN BUSY
WITH FINAL LAUNCH PREPARATIONS.
LAST WEEK WE ENCAPSULATED THE
SWOT SPACECRAFT INSIDE THE
PAYLOAD FERRING AND INFORMED A
DRESS REHEARSAL.
LAST FRIDAY, WE HELD THE FLIGHT
READINESS REVIEW AND LATER THAT
SAME DAY PERFORMED A STATIC
FIRE WITH A SUCCESSFUL 7-SECOND
STATIC FIRE LIGHTING OF ALL
NINE OF THE FALCON 9 ENGINES.
SUBSEQUENTLY THE ROCKET WAS
RETURNED TO THE SLICK 4 HANGER
WHERE THE SWOT SPACECRAFT WAS
MATED ON MONDAY ON THIS WEEK.
I'D LIKE TO SHOW A VIDEO TO GET
READY FOR THE LAUNCH.
HERE YOU SEE A 747 BRINGING A
LOT OF GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT
FOR THE SWOT SPACECRAFT FROM
EUROPE WHERE IT WAS
MANUFACTURED.
SO THIS ALL OCCURRED A COUPLE
MONTHS AGO IN OCTOBER RIGHT
HERE AT VANDENBERG, AND THERE
IS AN AIR FORCE C-5 BRINGING
THE ACTUAL SWOT SPACECRAFT.
THERE'S SWOT IN ITS SHIPPING
CONTAINER COMING OFF OF THE C-5
AIRCRAFT.
MANY THANKS TO THE AIR FORCE
FOR ALLOWING US TO USE THE
AIRCRAFT TO TRANSPORT, AND HERE
IS SWOT UNVEILED IN THE ASTRO
TECH FACILITY ON NORTH
VANDENBERG, A GORGEOUS
SPACECRAFT, AND THEN AFTER WE
PROCESSED ON NORTH VANDENBERG,
WE PUT IT BACK IN ITS SHIPPING
CONTAINER AND BROUGHT IT TO
SOUTH VANDENBERG TO SLICK 4,
AND THERE IT IS GOING INTO
SpaceX'S PAYLOAD PROCESSING
FACILITY AT SLICK 4.
THERE'S A GREAT STILL PHOTO OF
SWOT UNVEILED IN THE PPF AT
SLICK 4, AND THERE IT IS ABOUT
TO BE ENCAPSULATED WITH THE
PAYLOAD FERINGS ON EITHER SIDE.
HERE IS FOOTAGE FROM THE PAST.
THIS IS A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN
WE ROLLED OUT SENTINEL.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE
YESTERDAY AS WE ROLLED TO THE
PAD.
WE WENT VERTICAL OVERNIGHT, AND
WE'RE SITTING ON THE PAD
GETTING READY.
SO YESTERDAY WE DID ALSO HOLD
THE SPACE LAUNCH DELTA 30
LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW, AND WE
FOLLOWED THAT WITH THE JOINT
SpaceX-NASA LRR, WE RECEIVED
APPROVAL FROM SENIOR NASA JPL,
SpaceX AND U.S. SPACE FORCE
LEADERSHIP TO CONTINUE
PROCESSING TOWARD LAUNCH
COUNTDOWN.
YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO
REPRESENTATIVE ROLL-OUT THAT
DID OCCUR YESTERDAY AND WE'RE
VERTICAL ON THE SLICK 4 LAUNCH
MOUVENLT MOUNT.
WE ARE PERFORMING A FEW
ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS OF THE
ROCKET TODAY THAT JULIANNA WILL
TELL YOU ABOUT.
EARLY TOMORROW MORNING THE
LAUNCH TEAM WILL ARRIVE ON
CONSOLE TO PROVIDE LAUNCH
VEHICLE CHECKOUTS.
LAUNCH TEAM WILL BE POLLED
AROUND 3:00 A.M. PACIFIC TIME
FOR CONCURRENCE TO LOAD THE
FALCON 9 PROPELLANTS, RP1 KER
SEEN AND DENSEIFIED LIQUID
OXYGEN INTO THE STAGE 1 AND
STAGE 2 TANKS.
AFTER SERIES OF FINAL LAUNCH
VEHICLE CHECKS, WE'LL BE READY
FOR TARGETED T-0 AND LAUNCH AT
3:46:47 A.M. PACIFIC TIME
THURSDAY MORNING.
TO SUMMARIZE, THE FALCON 9
SPACECRAFT AND SWOT ARE READY
TO LAUNCH THIS VERY IMPORTANT
WATER SURVEY MISSION.
BACK TO YOU, MEGAN.
>> TIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY, JULIANNA?
>> THANK YOU ALL.
FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE WHOLE
TEAM SIMILAR TO TIM.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY
WITH NASA HEADQUARTERS TEAM,
THE NASA LAUNCH SERVICES
PROGRAM TEAM, THE NASA JPL
TEAM, THE FRENCH TEAM CNES.
NICE TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF
YOU.
WE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A
STATIC FIRE TEST, AFTER THE
STATIC FIRE TEST, MANY HAVE
SEEN A BIT OF WEATHER IN
CALIFORNIA.
PEOPLE OFTEN THINK ABOUT RAIN
IN FLORIDA, NOT SO MUCH RAIN IN
CALIFORNIA, HERE WE ARE AND
CALIFORNIANS ARE HAPPY WITH IT.
AS PART OF THE STANDARD
CHECKOUTS WE DO ON THE LAUNCH
VEHICLE, WE CHECK TO CONFIRM
THERE ISN'T MOISTURE INTRUSION
IN THE ENGINES ON OUR VEHICLE.
AS PART OF THE STANDARD CHECKS
WE DID SEE ON TWO ENGINES
SIGNATURE THAT THERE IS
MOISTURE IN TWO OF THE ENGINES.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE NASA LAUNCH SERVICE
PROGRAM TEAM, WE'RE WORKING TO
CONFIRM WHAT FLUID IS IN THOSE
ENGINES, IF IT'S WATER FROM THE
STORM OR ANOTHER FLUID, SO IF
IT IS WATER FROM THE STORM, WE
WILL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
NASA TO PREPARE FOR LAUNCH WHEN
WE'RE IN A POSITION TO DO SO
TOMORROW MORNING AT 3:46 A.M.
LIKELY.
IF IT IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN
WATER, WE'D NEED TO STAND DOWN
ON THE LAUNCH AND REMOVE AND
REPLACE THE ENGINES TO ENSURE
WE LAUNCH RELIABLY.
THAT'S A LITTLE OF THE ISSUE
THAT TIM MENTIONED.
AFTER A SUCCESSFUL LIFTOFF OF
THE SWOT MISSION, WE'LL BE
RECOVERING THE FIRST STAGE
BOOSTER.
SO FOR THOSE LOCAL ON THE
CENTRAL COAST, I WANT TO LET
YOU KNOW YOU MIGHT HEAR A
COUPLE SONIC BOOMS QUITE EARLY
IN THE MORNING, EXCITED ABOUT
THAT, HOPE WE DON'T WAKE YOU UP
TOO MUCH.
AND YEAH, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF
THE SpaceX TEAM, WE'RE REALLY,
REALLY PROUD TO SUPPORT SO MANY
OF THE NASA SCIENCE MISSIONS,
ESPECIALLY SWOT.
WE HAVE SUCH A LONG PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE JPL, CNES AND THE NASA
TEAM AND PROUD TO SUPPORT A
COOL SIGNS MISSION LIKE SWOT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> JULIANNA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL TRANSITION TO THE
SPACECRAFT TEAM, PARAG, TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> SURE.
I'M PARAG VAZE WITH JPL, THE
PROJECT MANAGER FOR SWOT AND
HAVE BEEN THE PROJECT MANAGER
SINCE DAY ONE.
IT'S A LONGTIME COMING.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING
AND WORKING ON THE CONCEPT FOR
ALMOST 20 YEARS, AND NASA, AS
KAREN DESCRIBES, TAKES ON
CHALLENGING MISSIONS, TAKE ON
CHALLENGING MISSIONS TO SOLVE
GLOBAL PROBLEMS, AND WATER IS
ONE OF THOSE GLOBAL PROBLEMS,
AND WATER UNITES ALL OF US, AND
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND EUROPE, WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
CONCEPT FOR MORE THAN 20, 30,
40 YEARS AS KAREN SAID, SO SWOT
IS THE CULMINATION OF ALL THOSE
EFFORTS FROM OUR SCIENTISTS,
ENGINEERS AND MANAGEMENT TEAMS
REALLY WORKING TOGETHER TO BE
ABLE TO FORM THIS MISSION AND
BRING IT TO REALITY.
SO IT'S A LONG JOURNEY THAT WE
COME UP AGAINST, AND NOW THE
LAST PART OF IT, FRANKLY, IS
THE DEVELOPMENT AND PREPARATION
OF THE SATELLITE.
ALTHOUGH, THAT HAS HAD ITS
SHARE OF CHALLENGES, WHICH WE
HAVE WORKED TOGETHER BETWEEN
THE U.S. AND FRENCH TEAM, TO
SOLVE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO
GET TO THIS POINT TODAY.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU, ILLUSTRATE
A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, MAYBE IF
YOU CAN PUT UP THE FIRST
GRAPHIC OF OUR MORE RECENT
JOURNEY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE STARTED THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE -- I WOULD
SAY CORE PART OF THE SCIENTIFIC
PORTION OF THE SPACECRAFT,
WHICH WE CALL THE PAYLOAD
MODULE, AND THE U.S., AGAIN
WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CNES
AND U.K. SPACE AGENCY AND THE
CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY AND JPL,
WHERE WE INTEGRATED THE FULL
PAYLOAD, BUT THAT WAS THE START
OF THE JOURNEY.
WE DEVELOPED IT, TESTED IT, AND
THEN WE ACTUALLY PACKAGED IT
UP, SHIPPED IT TO FRANCE AND
THEN CONTINUED ITS JOURNEY.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE GRAPHIC ON
THE BOTTOM LEFT, TIM SHOWED US
ARRIVING, BUT WELL BEFORE, THAT
WE MADE OUR JOURNEY TO EUROPE
FIRST, AND THEN SPENT ABOUT 14
MONTHS IN EUROPE AT THE
FACILITIES OF TALIS SPACE,
PUTTING TOGETHER OUR
CONTRIBUTIONS AND CNES HAS
THANKFULLY CONTRIBUTED THE
SPACECRAFT BUS OR SPACECRAFT
PLATFORM THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER,
AND THEN AS WE WENT THROUGH A
SERIES, A LONG SERIES OF TESTS
AND CHECKOUTS OF THE SATELLITE,
EVENTUALLY BROUGHT THAT BACK
HERE TO THE UNITED STATES FOR A
BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH ON A SpaceX
FALCON 9 ROCKET, AND THAT
ITSELF WAS CHALLENGING AND
PUTTING TOGETHER ALL OF THE
TEAMS, THE LOGISTICS,
TRANSPORTATION, ET CETERA, TO
GET TO THIS POINT, AND TIM
SHOWED A BEAUTIFUL SHOT, I
THINK, OF US ARRIVING HERE.
BOTTOM LEFT IS A SHOT OF US
ARRIVING ON THE U.S. AIR FORCE
C-5 THAT NASA SUPPLIED TO GET
THIS PRETTY LARGE SPACECRAFT
AND ALL OF THE SUPPORT
EQUIPMENT OVER TO VANDENBERG
SPACE FORCE BASE HERE, THAT WE
NOW HAVE STARTED, OVER THE LAST
TWO MONTHS, DONE OUR FINAL
CAMPAIGN TO CHECK OUT THE
SPACECRAFT AND GET IT READY FOR
LAUNCH.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT
PAGE, I THINK TIM SHOWED THIS,
MAYBE ON THE NEXT GRAPHIC, THE
SATELLITE, IN ITS FINAL
CONFIGURATION JUST BEFORE WE
SAID OUR GOOD-BYES AND WISHING
IT WELL IN THE ENCAPSULATED
FERRING OF THE FALCON 9, THE
SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN CHECKED,
IT'S IN GOOD HEALTH, AND WE
JUST FINISHED SOME LAST CHECKS
DURING THE NIGHT, AND WE'RE
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING ITS JOURNEY OFF INTO
SPACE, AND REALLY MAKING THE
FIRST PART OF THE REALIZATION
OF SWOT, WHICH IS REALLY
GETTING UP INTO LAUNCH IN ORBIT
AND STARTING TO PRODUCE THE
IMPORTANT DATA WHICH WE EXPECT
IS GOING TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL
IN MANY DIFFERENT FIELDS AND
REALLY DEVELOP THE NEXT
GENERATION OF MEASUREMENTS AND
INFORMATION ULTIMATELY TO HELP
SOLVE OUR GLOBAL SOCIETAL
PROBLEMS THAT I KNOW KAREN IS
DEDICATED TOWARDS HELPING
SUPPORT.
SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE MAYBE
AND HAND IT OFF TO MY PARTNER
THIERRY LAFON AND HE'LL TALK
ABOUT THE JOURNEY AND MORE
DETAILS ON THE SPACECRAFT.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, PARAG.
SAME AS PARAG, I'VE BEEN
WORKING AND LUCKY TO WORK ON
THIS MISSION SINCE DAY ONE.
THAT'S UNIQUE.
PARAG AND I PRETTY WELL KNOW
EVERY DETAIL OF THAT MISSION,
THE HARDWARE, THE MISSION, THE
OPERATION AND SO ON.
SO LET ME GIVE YOU SOME
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAYLOAD.
THE FIRST SLIDE WILL SHOW SOME
OF THE INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD THE
SATELLITE.
SO THE PAYLOAD BASICALLY IS
COMPRISED OF TWO PARTS.
THE ONE IS WHAT WE CALL THE
MAJOR PAYLOAD, CLASSIC SUITE OF
INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
ALREADY FLOWN ON OTHER
ALTIMMETRY MISSION, RISING
ALTIMETER, WE SEE PICTURES OF
THE SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES
ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
SATELLITE POSITION IN SPACE,
WHICH IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE,
OF COURSE, TO DETERMINE THE
WATER HEIGHT, AND THE MAIN
INSTRUMENT OF THE MISSION,
WHICH IS, OF COURSE, THE
CARRYING INSTRUMENT,
BREAKTHROUGH INSTRUMENT THAT
WILL HELP PROVIDE WILL
BRAND-NEW DATA THAT ALL -- WE
ARE ALL EXPECTING.
IT IS A UNIQUE INSTRUMENT,
INFRARED ALTIMETER AND THE NEW
GENERATION OF ALTIMETERS IN
SPACE.
SO THIS PAYLOAD WAS BUILT BY
JPL AND DELIVERED IN FRANCE IN
JUNE '21, AND WE INTEGRATE
PATCHWORK OF VIEWS OF THE
INTEGRATION OF THE SATELLITE.
SO THE SATELLITE INTEGRATION
BEGINS IN AUGUST '21, IT WAS
14-MONTH EFFORT, COMPLICATED
BECAUSE THE PAYLOAD IS UNIQUE.
WE HAVE A VERY BIG SPACECRAFT
AND HAD TO FACE THE COVID
PERIOD.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE DIDN'T
EXPECT, OF COURSE, AND WE
MANAGED THAT VERY SPECIFIC
PERIOD.
AGAIN, AS I SAID, THANKS TO THE
CLOSE COOPERATION, THE
RESILIENT EFFORTS OF EVERYBODY,
WE'RE ABLE TO RECOVERY TO
RESUME THE ACTIVITIES IN TIME
AND NOT JEOPARDIZE THE
SCHEDULE.
SO THAT WAS A UNIQUE WAY TO
SHOW HOW THESE TEAMS ARE
WORKING CLOSE TOGETHER.
THE SATELLITE WHICH IS ACTUALLY
-- WHICH WAS BUILT BY TALIS
SPACE PROVIDED THE PLATFORM AND
TALIS SPACE PROVIDED
INTEGRATION AND TESTS, 14-MONTH
EFFORT WITHOUT MAJOR ANOMALIES,
WE WERE ABLE TO SHIP THANKS TO
NASA PROVIDING THE C-5 BECAUSE
WE HAD ANOTHER THING TO FIX ON
THE STANDARD ANTONOV PLANE THAT
WE USE, THAT WERE NOT AVAILABLE
BECAUSE OF THE UKRAINIAN
CRISIS.
WE HAD A SOLUTION THAT HELPED
US MEET THE SCHEDULE.
SO ANOTHER PROBLEM, WE DIDN'T
THOUGHT WE HAD TO FACE.
AFTER THAT, WE CAME TO THE, OF
COURSE, TO THE -- TO OUR OWN
ACTIVITIES, WE DID ALL THE
CHECKS AND THE SPACECRAFT IS
READY TO GO TODAY, AND AT THIS
POINT, I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE
ALSO, THAT OKAY, WE'LL SEND THE
SPACECRAFT IN SPACE, IT WILL BE
A SMALL JOURNEY FOR IT, AND
THEN, WE HAVE ALL THE TEAMS IN
TOULOUSE THAT WILL TAKE OVER
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BABY,
THE NEWBORN BABY IN SPACE, AND
I'M SURE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
THAT HAVE WORKED, AS YOU CAN
SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PEOPLE
IN THE MAIN CONTROL ROOM
WORKING DAY AFTER DAY TO MAKE
THINGS, OF COURSE, SMOOTH OR
POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT SEVEN
DAYS.
WE HAVE THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS
THAT ARE VERY CRITICAL TO GET
EVERYTHING SET IN PLACE, AND,
OF COURSE, WE'RE STARTING FOR
3 1/2 YEARS OF OPERATIONS AND
PROVIDING THE WORLD A NEW SET
OF UNIQUE DATA FOR BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF CHANGE.
>> EXCITING TO SEE WHAT YOU
WILL ACCOMPLISH.
WONDERFUL.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
CAPTAIN, HOW ARE WE LOOKING FOR
LAUNCH?
>> LOOKING GREAT.
THE WEATHER WAS BAD THIS PAST
WEEKEND AND AFTER THAT WE'VE
SEEN A NICE CULL.
THIS DIRECTS MY FIELD DIRECTLY
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HELP THIS
MISSION ALONG AND INTO SPACE.
SO IF WE CAN BRING UP THE
SATELLITE SHOT, I CAN SHOW YOU
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT
NOW.
S THAT STORM HAS MOVED PAST, WE
ARE PRETTY CLEAR LOOKING OUT
THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE SEE A LITTLE BIT OF CIRRUS
CLOUDS OVER THE WATER, AND IF
ANYTHING, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE
THE LAUNCH LOOK PRETTY COOL
BECAUSE THE ROCKET PUNCHING
THROUGH THE THIN CIRRUS CLOUDS
COULD CREATE AN O-RING AND
LOOKS NICE.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING
THIS LAUNCH, AND THE LANDING AS
WELL, OF COURSE, SO THAT'S
GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW
HOPEFULLY FOR US THIS MORNING.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT CHART, I
CAN SHOW YOU THE OFFICIAL
FORECAST THAT WE HAVE FOR
LAUNCH.
WE'RE PRETTY CLEAR, LOOKING AT
CIRRUS CLOUDS UP AROUND 19,000
FEET.
VISIBILITY IS GOING TO BE GREAT
AS I MENTIONED SO WE'LL SEE THE
LAUNCH AND LANDING WELL.
IF WE COULD BRING UP THE
PRIMARY DAY, THE NEXT CHART,
AND TEMPERATURE, IT'S A LITTLE
COLD OUT THERE.
IT'S CALIFORNIA, BUT WE'RE
SEEING THAT IT'S PRETTY COLD IN
DECEMBER, TOO.
THIS IS THE CENTRAL COAST.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WINDS ARE SUPER LIGHT AND WE'RE
LOOKING AT A GO PERCENTAGE OF
100% FOR WEATHER, AND BACKUP
DAY IS LOOKING VERY, VERY
SIMILAR WITH THE UPPER LEVEL
CIRRUS CLOUDS, VISIBILITY IS
GOING TO BE FAIRLY GOOD AS
WELL, AND WINDS LIGHT, 100% GO
FOR BACKUP DAY AS WELL, AND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE.
THANKS, MEGAN.
>> YOU HAD GREAT NEWS.
TWO DAYS, 100% GO.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR OPENING
REMARKS.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE QUESTIONS
FROM REPORTERS.
PLEASE KEEP IT TO ONE QUESTION
AND TRY TO ADDRESS WHO YOU WANT
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
FOR THOSE WHO JUST JOINED US IN
THE ROOM, RAISE YOUR HAND WHEN
YOU ARE READY TO ASK A
QUESTION.
THOSE ON THE PHONE, GET INTO
THE QUESTION QUEUE BY DIALING
STAR 1 AND THOSE ON SOCIAL
MEDIA #ASKNASA.
OKAY, START WITH ONE ON THE
PHONE, STEVEN CLARK,
SPACEFLIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: CURIOUS ABOUT THE
ORBIT, WHAT'S THE ALTITUDE FOR
DEPLOYMENT FROM THE FALCON 9
AND QUESTION, THERE'S A LAUNCH
THAT SHOWS UP TOWARDS THE
SOUTHWEST THAT DOESN'T MATCH
WITH WHAT I THINK THE
INCLINATION IS, 78 DEGREES, IS
THAT AN ERROR OR IS THERE A
MAJOR DOG LEG MANEUVER AND WHY
IS THAT THE CASE?
>> THANK YOU, STEVEN, YOU ARE
CORRECT, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT
DOG LEG, INITIAL TRAJECTORY OUT
OF VANDENBERG IS SOUTHWESTERLY,
BUT WE WILL BE TURNING, MAKING
THAT DOG LEG A LITTLE LEFT
AFTER THAT.
AS FAR AS THE ORBITAL
PARAMETERS, PARAG, DO YOU KNOW
ALTITUDE?
>> 850 KILOMETERS, 78 DEGREES
INCLINATION.
DID YOU GET THAT?
STEVEN.
>> 850 KILOMETERS.
78 DEGREES.
YOU WERE CORRECT IN THE
INCLINATION, ONCE INSERTED INTO
ORBIT.
>> Reporter: WHY IS THAT DOG
LEG THERE FOR THIS MISSION?
>> I THINK -- JULIANNA, DO YOU
KNOW SPECIFICALLY?
>> I CAN GET BACK WITH YOU,
STEVEN, ON THE SPECIFICS.
I THINK THAT HELPS US CLEAR
CONCERNS ABOUT WHEN WE DEPART
VANDENBERG, WE HAVE EXCESS
PERFORMANCE USING FALCON 9 WITH
THE SWOT PAYLOAD, AND WE'RE
PROBABLY USING THAT TO MAKE OUR
LAUNCH PROBABILITIES BETTER IN
REGARDS TO THINGS LIKE LAUNCH
DAY DEBRIS RISK AND THE
FLYBACK.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT PERSON
ON THE PHONE IS MIKE WALL,
SPACE.COM.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU, ALL FOR
DOING THIS.
THIS IS PROBABLY FOR KAREN.
COULD YOU JUST TALK ABOUT ARE
THERE ANY SATELLITES IN NASA'S
STABLE OF OBSERVATION MISSIONS
THAT ARE SIMILAR CAPABILITY OF
THIS, WHAT SWOT CAN DO?
OR IS THIS BRAND-NEW AND GOING
TO PROVIDE AN ENTIRELY NEW DATA
SET FOR YOU GUYS?
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
WE'VE BEEN DOING SATELLITE
ALTIMMETRY, MEASURING SEA
SURFACE HEIGHT FOR 30 YEARS,
THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE RECORD
WE RELY ON TO UNDERSTAND
CLIMATE CHANGE, FOR EXAMPLE,
BUT WHAT SWOT WILL DO IS GIVE
US A TEN-FOLD IMPROVEMENT IN
THE FIDELITY, THE SPATIAL
RESOLUTION OF OUR MEASUREMENT
OF WATER HEIGHT, SO IF YOU
THINK OF NORMAL SATELLITE
IMAGERY TELLS US WHERE THE
WATER IS, AN ALTIMETER TELLS US
HOW HIGH IT IS, SO WE KNOW HOW
MUCH WATER IS THERE.
WELL, WITH SWOT, WITH THE
INCREASED SPATIAL RESOLUTION,
WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS A FEW
IMPORTANT THINGS.
THE FIRST ONE IS WE'LL BE ABLE
TO SEE DETAILS IN EDDIES AND
CURRENTS AND CIRCULATIONS IN
THE OCEAN THAT WE'VE NEVER BEEN
ABLE TO SEE BEFORE.
ALONG OUR COASTLINES, BECAUSE
WE HAVE THE FINE SPATIAL
RESOLUTION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO
SEE CHANGES ALONG OUR COASTLINE
THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE OF
RISING SEAS, AND THEN, INLAND,
WITH RESERVOIRS, LAKES AND
RIVERS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE
WATER BODIES THAT WE'VE NEVER
BEEN ABLE TO SEE BEFORE.
SO THINK ABOUT PUTTING ON
GLASSES.
WE'LL HAVE A CRISP PICTURE OF
THESE INLAND WATER BODIES AND
HOW MUCH WATER IS THERE, SO
GLOBALLY, WE'LL GO FROM BEING
ABLE TO SEE A COUPLE THOUSAND
INLAND WATER BODIES, LAKES AND
RESERVOIRS TO MILLIONS.
SO AN ENORMOUS POSITIVE SPAKT
FOR THOSE WHO RELYOG OF WATER
LEVELS INLAND TO MANAGE WATER
FOR EVERYTHING FROM AGRICULTURE
TO HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
>> THANK YOU, MIKE, NAR
QUESTION.
NEXT PERSON ON THE PHONE, JEFF
FOUST WITH SPACE NEWS.
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON, A
QUESTION FOR JULIANNA.
YOU MENTIONED IF THE MOISTURE
IS NOT WATER YOU WILL HAVE TO
REPLACE THE ENGINES.
JUST CURIOUS, WHAT OTHER
POSSIBILITIES ARE THERE FOR
THAT MOISTURE?
AND IF YOU HAVE TO REMOVE AND
REPLACE THOSE ENGINES, WHAT
SORT OF DELAY ARE WE LOOKING
AT?
>> THANK YOU, JEFF.
I THINK I CAUGHT THE END OF
YOUR QUESTION.
I'LL TRY TO ADDRESS BOTH
ASPECTS.
FIRST, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT
FLUID MIGHT BE IN THE ENGINES,
IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL OF
WATER, WE COULD SEE RP1 OR
ROCKET GRADE KEROSENE OR ISO
PAR WHICH WE SEE ON THE
REFURBISHMENT OF THE ENGINES.
THAT'S ONE.
AS FAR AS ENGINE REMOVED AND
REPLACE, I CAN'T GIVE SPECIFICS
BUT LOOKING ON THE ORDER OF
MANY DAYS, IT'S NOT A QUICK ON
THE HOUR, IF I SOMETHING WE
COULD MAKE OUR CURRENT OR
PRIMARY BACKUP LAUNCH DATE.
>> WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM
SOCIAL NOW.
CAN WE GET A MIC OVER TO
ALLISON HERE?
HI, TROY FROM TWITTER HAS A TWO
PART QUESTION.
THE FIRST PART IS WHEN IS FIRST
LIGHT, AND WHEN WILL DATA BE
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC?
>> MAYBE I CAN TAKE THAT.
YEAH.
SO AS THIERRY WAS DESCRIBING,
THE BRAND-NEW SPACE LOAD HAS
THE KAREN INSTRUMENT AND
TRADITIONAL ALTIMMETRY
INSTRUMENTS AS KAREN MENTIONED,
THERE'S THE HERITAGE PORTION
THAT WE KNOW QUITE WELL AND
KNOW HOW TO COMMISSION IT WELL
AND KNOW HOW TO PRODUCE THE
DATA PRETTY WELL.
SO THAT PORTION OF THE PAYLOAD,
WE SHOULD HAVE IT ACTIVATED BY
THE END OF JANUARY AND START
HAVING SOME, I WOULD SAY FIRST
LIGHT RESULTS BY MIDDLE OF
FEBRUARY TIME FRAME.
IN TERMS OF GETTING THAT DATA
OUT, YOU KNOW, SWOT HAS A
UNIQUE OPERATIONAL PLAN.
SO THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE
MISSION FROM LAUNCH, WE'RE
LAUNCHING INTO A UNIQUE
CALIBRATION VALIDATION ORBIT,
IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED SO
WE'RE ABLE TO COMMISSION AND
UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR OF THE
INSTRUMENTATION, AND THEN MOVE
INTO OUR SCIENCE ORBIT WHICH IS
A LITTLE HIGHER, 891
KILOMETERS, SAME INCLINATION,
WHERE WE'LL START A MORE
CONSISTENT REPEAT OF THE GLOBE
EVERY 21 DAYS COLLECTING DATA.
THE REASON I MENTIONED ALL OF
THAT IS BECAUSE WE'LL ACTUALLY
START OUR SCIENCE MISSION ABOUT
SIX MONTHS AFTER LAUNCH, AND
WE'LL START PRODUCING PRODUCTS
FROM THOSE -- FROM THAT PERIOD
FORWARD.
THE NADIR PRODUCT PAYLOADS WILL
BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC
LAUNCH PLUS NINE, TEN MONTHS,
IN THAT TIME ORDER, AND WE'RE
LOOKING TOWARDS A SIMILAR
TARGET FOR OUR NEW PAYLOAD,
WHICH IS THE KAREN INSTRUMENT,
WITH MORE CHECKED AND VALIDATED
PRODUCTS IN THE LAUNCH PLUS
14-MONTH PERIOD.
YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE?
>> LET'S HAVE ANOTHER SOCIAL
QUESTION.
BETTY FROM TWITTER WANTS TO
KNOW WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF
TRACKING WATER?
>> WELL, THERE'S SO MANY,
THERE'S SO MANY IMPORTANT
BENEFITS, BUT I'LL MENTION JUST
A FEW.
IN OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES,
ACTUALLY LET ME BACK UP A STEP.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE
SEEING WITH THE WARMING CLIMATE
IS AN ENHANCEMENT OF THE WATER
CYCLE.
AND THAT GENERALLY MEANS THAT
IN MANY PLACES THAT HAVE WATER,
THEY'RE SEEING EVEN MORE, AND
IN MANY PLACES THAT ARE DRIER,
IT'S GETTING EVEN DRIER, SO IN
THOSE AREAS WHERE TOO MUCH
WATER IS A PROBLEM, SWOT WILL
HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THAT
WATER IS MOVING AND GET BETTER
AT PREDICTING WHEN THERE MAY BE
INUNDATION, WHETHER IT'S
FLOODING IN A COASTAL COMMUNITY
FROM A STORM SURGE OR
VULNERABILITY TO FLOODING DUE
TO SEVERE WEATHER INLAND.
IN AREAS WHERE THE CLIMATE IS
GETTING DRIER, THERE, MANAGING
WATER AS A RESOURCE IS A
CHALLENGE.
SO THE HIGH-FIDELITY
MEASUREMENTS OF HOW MUCH WATER
IS IN THE RESERVOIRS AND LAKES
AND RIVERS CAN BE REALLY
CRITICAL PIECE OF INFORMATION
FOR SMART MANAGEMENT OF WATER,
WHETHER THAT'S FOR FOOD
PRODUCTION OR, AGAIN, JUST TO
SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
>> WATER IS AN EVER CHANGING
RESOURCE AND ONE OF OUR MOST
IMPORTANT RESOURCES.
IT'S WORTH TO TRACK.
BACK TO THE PHONE, STEVEN CLARK
HAS A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
>> Reporter: I THINK MY
QUESTION IS FOR PARAG, YOU
MENTIONED THE CONDITIONING, BUT
TALK ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS OF
THE MISSION, HOW THE TIMELINE
WILL PLAY OUT WITH FIRST
ACQUISITION OF THE SIGNAL AND
PARTICULARLY THE DEPLOYMENT OF
THE ANTENNA?
>> MAYBE -- WHAT WAS THE
QUESTION?
YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE
FIRST FEW DAYS?
>> Reporter: RIGHT, HOW THE
TIMELINE WILL PLAY OUT.
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR.
SO FIRST OF ALL, AFTER WE HAVE
OUR BEAUTIFUL SEPARATION FROM
THE ROCKET, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO
THROUGH BASICALLY ABOUT A
THREE-HOUR PERIOD, LET'S SAY,
IN AN AUTOMATIC MODE SO THAT WE
CAN FIRST ACQUIRE TELEMETRY
FROM THE SATELLITE AND HAVE THE
SOLAR ARRAYS DEPLOYED SO WE CAN
CHECK THE BASIC HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF THE SATELLITE.
LOOK GOOD AND POWER POSITIVE.
SO WE EXPECT TO DO THAT ROUGHLY
IN ABOUT THREE HOURS, AND THEN
AS THIERRY DESCRIBED, THE
SATELLITE CONTROLLERS IN FRANCE
WILL BE CONTINUING THE PROCESS
OF CHECKING OUT THE BASIC
FUNCTIONS OF THE SATELLITE AND
PARTICULARLY THE PLATFORM IN
TERMS OF THE BASIC CAPABILITIES
OF THE PLATFORM, AND THEN WE
KIND OF MOVE, STARTING RIGHT
FROM ABOUT DAY FOUR INTO AN
IMPORTANT PERIOD FOR OUR NEW
INSTRUMENT, THE KAREN
INSTRUMENT WHERE, WE'LL START
THE ANTENNA DEPLOYMENT, AND THE
ANTENNA DEPLOYMENT IS A
MULTIPART DEPLOYMENT.
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND DESIGN THAT
WE HAVE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE
OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT FOUR
DAYS, SO WE PLAN TO DO IT STEP
BY STEP CAREFULLY, BUT ROUGHLY
ABOUT LAUNCH PLUS EIGHT DAYS,
EIGHT, NINE DAYS WE EXPECT TO
FINISH THIS IMPORTANT ACTIVITY
AND MOVE BACK TOWARDS OUR
NOMINAL ORIENTATION TOWARDS THE
SUN AND START THE REST OF THE
TURNON AND COMMISSIONING OF THE
SPACECRAFT.
THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
.
>> Reporter: IT DOES, AND DO
YOU HAVE ANY CAMERAS ONBOARD IT
MONITOR THIS OR ALL THROUGH
TELEMETRY?
>> YEAH, WE HAVE AN
INTERESTING, LET'S SAY, ADD-ON,
A SET OF CAMERAS, WE HAVE FOUR
CAMERAS MOUNTED ON THE PAYLOAD
MODULE, THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO
US, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE PLENTY OF
OTHER INSTRUMENTATION TO
ACTUALLY MONITOR THE HEALTH,
SAFETY AND STATUS OF THE
SPACECRAFT AND THE DEPLOYMENT,
BUT WE DO HAVE CAMERAS THAT ARE
-- SHOULD BE ABLE TO IMAGE THE
SOLAR ARRAYS ON ONE SIDE AND
ALSO THE ANTENNA DEPLOYMENT
AFTER THAT.
SO WE'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE SOME
BEAUTIFUL IMAGERY AND ALSO A
MOVIE OF THE ANTENNA DEPLOYMENT
IN PARTICULAR, AND ARE
EXPECTING IT TO BE A NICE END
OF YEAR PRESENT FOR ALL OF US.
>> THAT'S A NICE PRESENT.
VERY UNIQUE PRESENT.
OKAY, WE ALSO HAVE LUCY FROM
AFT ON THE PHONE.
>> Reporter: HI.
THANKS FOR DOING THIS.
MY QUESTION IS FOR THIERRY, I
THINK YOU MENTIONED THE
LIFETIME OF 3 1/2 YEARS, IS
THIS THE REQUIREMENT, AND ARE
YOU LOOKING FOR MORE THAN THAT,
AND ALSO, IF I MAY, ASK A
SECOND QUESTION, COULD YOU
EXPAND ON THE MAIN SCIENTIFIC
INSTRUMENT KAREN, YOU CAN
EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT FOR THE
BROAD PUBLIC IN THE AUDIENCE
HOW IT WORKS.
THANK YOU?
>> SO FOR MISSION DURATION, OF
COURSE, EVERY TIME WE LAUNCH A
MISSION, WE ARE ABLE TO SPECIFY
A MISSION DURATION.
HERE IT'S 42 MONTHS.
IT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
THE PLATFORM DESIGNED BY
TALIESIN SPACE IS TEN YEARS ON
ORBIT.
SO, OF COURSE, OUR SYSTEM WILL
NOT LIMIT THE LIFETIME OF SWOT,
AND IF EVERYTHING IS OKAY ON
BOARD, CERTAINLY THERE WILL BE
AN EXTENSION OF THE MISSION,
FIVE YEARS IS COMPLETELY
REACHABLE, AND MANY MORE YEARS
AS WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE 30
YEARS ON OUR MISSION THAT
ACHIEVED AROUND 10 YEARS EVERY
TIME.
SO I CAN GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL
BE ABLE TO MAKE A LONG MISSION
BECAUSE WE NEED THIS DATA FOR A
LONG TIME.
WITH REGARD TO THE PAYLOAD, AS
WE SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE A
CLASSICAL NADIR SUITE OF
INSTRUMENTS, THE SAME AS WE USE
ON THE JASON SERIES, THE
SENTINEL THAT PROVIDE THE SAME
INSTRUMENT LIKE THE DORIS
INSTRUMENT, THE RADIO MATTER,
WHICH PROVIDE CORRECTIONS OF
THE WATER CONDENSED IN THE
ATMOSPHERE TO CORRECT THE RATE
OF SIGNAL IT'S SENT TO THE
GROUND AND THE KAREN
INSTRUMENT, A BRAND-NEW
INSTRUMENT, IT'S A RADAR
BASICALLY, A RADAR IS AN
INSTRUMENT THAT SENDS A SIGNAL
TO THE GROUND AND WE RECEIVE
BACK THE ECHO.
IN THIS CASE, THE PARTICULARITY
WITH KAREN IS THAT THE SIGNAL
IS SENT BY -- YOU'VE SEEN ALL
THESE ANTENNAS, IMPRESSIVE
ANTENNAS SEPARATED BY A METAL
BASE, THE ANTENNAS SEND THE
RADAR SIGNAL TO THE GROUND, AND
THE ECHO REFLECTED BY THE WATER
SURFACE IS RECEIVED BY THE TWO
ANTENNAS OF THE SAME MOMENT OR
SLIGHTLY DEFERRED, AND THIS IS
THIS MEASUREMENT WITH THE SAME
SIGNAL RECEIVED BY THE TWO
ANTENNAS THAT PROVIDE SUCH AN
ACCURACY FOR WATER DETECTION
AND RESOLUTION.
THE OTHER FEATURE OF THE SWOT
IS THE TWO ANTENNAS ABLE TO
COVER THE SWATH OF 120
KILOMETERS ON THE SURFACE OF
THE PLANET, WHICH OUTBURST TO
COVER THE ENTIRETY OF THE WHOLE
PLANET WHICH IS UNIQUE TO PAST
MISSIONS WHICH ALLOW ONLY TO
MEASURE UNDER THE TRACE OF THE
ALTIMETER ON BOARD.
>> THAT WAS THE LAST REPORTER
ON THE PHONE.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS HERE IN THE ROOM,
WE'RE GOING TO WRAP UP TODAY'S
NEWS CONFERENCE.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ASKED
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR INTERESTS,
AND THOSE WHO TOOK TIME OUT OF
THEIR DAY TO ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS.
LIFTOFF IS TARGETED FOR 3:00
A.M. PACIFIC TIME TOMORROW,
DECEMBER 15, AND LIVE COVERAGE
WILL BEGIN ON NASA.GOV/LIVE AT
3:00 A.M. PACIFIC TIME.
YOU CAN WATCH ON YouTube AND
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
FOR MISSION UPDATES BEFORE AND
AFTER LAUNCH GO TO BLOGS DOT
NASA.GOV/SWOT,
BLOGS.NASA.GOV/SWOT.
THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
GO SWOT!
[APPLAUSE]