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74-632: Jason-3 is a satellite altimeter created by a partnership of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and National Aeronautic and Space Administration ( NASA ), and is an international cooperative mission in which National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is partnering with the Centre National d'Études Spatiales ( CNES , French space agency). The satellite's mission

148-488: A pyrophoric mixture of triethylaluminum - triethylborane (TEA-TEB) as an engine igniter. The booster stage has 9 engines, arranged in a configuration that SpaceX calls Octaweb . The second stage of the Falcon 9 has 1 short or regular nozzle, Merlin 1D Vacuum engine version. Falcon 9 is capable of losing up to 2 engines and still complete the mission by burning the remaining engines longer. Each Merlin rocket engine

222-427: A reusable Falcon 9 , initially focusing on the first stage. V1.1 is 60% heavier with 60% more thrust than v1.0. Its nine (more powerful) Merlin 1D engines were rearranged into an "octagonal" pattern that SpaceX called Octaweb . This is designed to simplify and streamline manufacturing. The fuel tanks were 60% longer, making the rocket more susceptible to bending during flight. The v1.1 first stage offered

296-476: A secondary payload was stranded in a lower-than-planned orbit). Additionally, one rocket and its payload ( AMOS-6 ) were destroyed before launch in preparation for an on-pad static fire test. The active version of the rocket, the Falcon 9 Block 5 , has flown 346 times successfully. In 2022, the Falcon 9 set a new record with 60 successful launches by the same launch vehicle type in a calendar year. This surpassed

370-551: A 3.7 m (12 ft) payload fairing and US$ 35 million with a 5.2 m (17 ft) fairing. SpaceX also announced a heavy version of Falcon 9 with a payload capacity of approximately 25,000 kilograms (55,000 lb). Falcon 9 was intended to support LEO and GTO missions, as well as crew and cargo missions to the ISS. The original NASA COTS contract called for the first demonstration flight in September 2008, and

444-469: A fictional starship from the Star Wars film series. In 2005, SpaceX announced that it was instead proceeding with Falcon 9, a "fully reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle", and had already secured a government customer. Falcon 9 was described as capable of launching approximately 9,500 kilograms (20,900 lb) to low Earth orbit and was projected to be priced at US$ 27 million per flight with

518-585: A full-size test article in a vacuum chamber . Since 2019, fairings are designed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and are reused for future missions. SpaceX uses multiple redundant flight computers in a fault-tolerant design . The software runs on Linux and is written in C++ . For flexibility, commercial off-the-shelf parts and system-wide radiation-tolerant design are used instead of rad-hardened parts. Each stage has stage-level flight computers, in addition to

592-625: A number of variations which may be used for specific purposes such as gravity field investigations and orbit improvement. These examples present a few of the possibilities for the application of satellite-to-satellite tracking. Satellite-to-satellite tracking data was first collected and analyzed in a high-low configuration between ATS-6 and GEOS-3 . The data was studied to evaluate its potential for both orbit and gravitational model refinement.       Example: GRACE       Examples: CHAMP , GOCE [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from this source, which

666-589: A point is a tensor , since it is the derivative of each component of the gravity vector taken in each sensitive axis. Thus, the value of any component of the gravity vector can be known all along the path of the vehicle if gravity gradiometers are included in the system and their outputs are integrated by the system computer. An accurate gravity model will be computed in real-time and a continuous map of normal gravity, elevation, and anomalous gravity will be available.       Example: GOCE This technique uses satellites to track other satellites. There are

740-501: A production capacity of 40 rocket cores annually. The factory was producing one Falcon 9 per month as of November 2013 . By February 2016 the production rate for Falcon 9 cores had increased to 18 per year, and the number of first stage cores that could be assembled at one time reached six. Since 2018, SpaceX has routinely reused first stages, reducing the demand for new cores. In 2023, SpaceX performed 91 launches of Falcon 9 with only 4 using new boosters and successfully recovered

814-418: A single Merlin 1C engine modified for vacuum operation , with an expansion ratio of 117:1 and a nominal burn time of 345 seconds. Gaseous N 2 thrusters were used on the second-stage as a reaction control system (RCS). Early attempts to add a lightweight thermal protection system to the booster stage and parachute recovery were not successful. In 2011, SpaceX began a formal development program for

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888-738: A small 500 kg (1,100 lb) primary payload, the CASSIOPE satellite. Larger payloads followed, starting with the launch of the SES-8 GEO communications satellite . Both v1.0 and v1.1 used expendable launch vehicles (ELVs). The Falcon 9 Full Thrust made its first flight in December 2015. The first stage of the Full Thrust version was reusable . The current version, known as Falcon 9 Block 5 , made its first flight in May 2018. F9 v1.0

962-630: A static fire test, where the first stage was fired without launch. The test was aborted at T−2 due to a failure in the high-pressure helium pump. All systems up to the abort performed as expected, and no additional issues needed addressing. A subsequent test on 13 March fired the first-stage engines for 3.5 seconds. In December 2010, the SpaceX production line manufactured a Falcon 9 (and Dragon spacecraft) every three months. By September 2013, SpaceX's total manufacturing space had increased to nearly 93,000 m (1,000,000 sq ft), in order to support

1036-437: A total sea-level thrust at liftoff of 5,885 kN (1,323,000 lb f ), with the engines burning for a nominal 180 seconds. The stage's thrust rose to 6,672 kN (1,500,000 lb f ) as the booster climbed out of the atmosphere. The stage separation system was redesigned to reduce the number of attachment points from twelve to three, and the vehicle had upgraded avionics and software. These improvements increased

1110-505: Is 13 m (43 ft) long, 5.2 m (17 ft) in diameter, weighs approximately 1900 kg, and is constructed of carbon fiber skin overlaid on an aluminum honeycomb core. SpaceX designed and fabricates fairings in Hawthorne. Testing was completed at NASA's Plum Brook Station facility in spring 2013 where the acoustic shock and mechanical vibration of launch, plus electromagnetic static discharge conditions, were simulated on

1184-718: Is a radar technique used in geodesy and remote sensing . This geodetic method uses two or more synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images to generate maps of surface deformation or digital elevation , using differences in the phase of the waves returning to the satellite. The technique can potentially measure centimetre-scale changes in deformation over timespans of days to years. It has applications for geophysical monitoring of natural hazards, for example earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides, and also in structural engineering, in particular monitoring of subsidence and structural stability.       Example: Seasat , TerraSAR-X A gravity gradiometer can independently determine

1258-402: Is based on trilateration . Each satellite transmits a precise ephemeris with information on its own position and a message containing the exact time of transmission. The receiver compares this time of transmission with its own clock at the time of reception and multiplies the difference by the speed of light to obtain a " pseudorange ." Four pseudoranges are needed to obtain the precise time and

1332-421: Is controlled by three voting computers, each having 2 CPUs which constantly check the other 2 in the trio. The Merlin 1D engines can vector thrust to adjust trajectory. The propellant tank walls and domes are made from an aluminum–lithium alloy . SpaceX uses an all friction-stir welded tank, for its strength and reliability. The second stage tank is a shorter version of the first stage tank. It uses most of

1406-543: Is in the public domain : Defense Mapping Agency (1983). Geodesy for the Layman (PDF) (Report). United States Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-05-13 . Retrieved 2021-02-19 . Falcon 9 Falcon 9 is a partially reusable , human-rated , two-stage-to-orbit , medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX . The first Falcon 9 launch

1480-494: Is one major reason why they fell out of use by the 1980s.       Examples: PAGEOS , Project Echo , ANNA 1B In satellite laser ranging (SLR) a global network of observation stations measure the round trip time of flight of ultrashort pulses of light to satellites equipped with retroreflectors . This provides instantaneous range measurements of millimeter level precision which can be accumulated to provide accurate orbit parameters, gravity field parameters (from

1554-595: Is reinforced, while the side boosters feature aerodynamic nosecone instead of the usual interstage . Falcon 9 first-stage boosters landed successfully in 376 of 388 attempts ( 96.9%), with 351 out of 356 ( 98.6%) for the Falcon 9 Block 5 version. A total of 352 re-flights of first stage boosters have all successfully launched their second stages and, all but one, their payloads. F9 is a two-stage , LOX / RP-1 -powered launch vehicle. Both stages are equipped with Merlin 1D rocket engines. Every Merlin engine produces 854 kN (192,000 lb f ) of thrust. They use

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1628-829: Is to produce global sea-surface height measurements every 10 days to an accuracy of less than 4 cm. In order to calibrate the radar altimeter, a microwave radiometer measures signal delay caused by atmospheric vapors, ultimately correcting the altimeter's accuracy to 3.3 cm. This data is important to collect and analyze because it is a critical factor in understanding the changes in Earth's climate brought on by global warming as well as ocean circulation . NOAA's National Weather Service uses Jason-3's data to more accurately forecast tropical cyclones . The primary users of Jason-3 data are people who are dependent on marine and weather forecasts for public safety, commerce and environmental purposes. Other users include scientists and people who are concerned with global warming and its relation to

1702-526: Is to supply data for scientific, commercial, and practical applications to sea level rise , sea surface temperature , ocean temperature circulation, and climate change . Jason-3 makes precise measurements related to global sea-surface height . Because sea surface height is measured via altimetry , mesoscale ocean features are better simulated since the Jason-3 radar altimeter can measure global sea-level variations with very high accuracy. The scientific goal

1776-620: The Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program in 2006. The NASA contract was structured as a Space Act Agreement (SAA) "to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation service", including the purchase of three demonstration flights. The overall contract award was US$ 278 million to provide three demonstration launches of Falcon 9 with the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. Additional milestones were added later, raising

1850-619: The NASA Launch Services Program lists it as a "Category 3" (Low Risk) launch vehicle allowing it to launch the agency's most expensive, important, and complex missions. Several versions of Falcon 9 have been built and flown: v1.0 flew from 2010 to 2013, v1.1 flew from 2013 to 2016, while v1.2 Full Thrust first launched in 2015, encompassing the Block 5 variant, which has been in operation since May 2018. In October 2005, SpaceX announced plans to launch Falcon 9 in

1924-601: The geocentric position of an Earth satellite, allowing for the precise calibration of radar altimeters and separation of long-term instrumentation drift from secular changes in ocean surface topography . Satellite laser ranging contributes to the definition of the international terrestrial reference frames by providing the information about the scale and the origin of the reference frame, the so-called geocenter coordinates.       Example: LAGEOS Satellites such as Seasat (1978) and TOPEX/Poseidon (1992-2006) used advanced dual-band radar altimeters to measure

1998-416: The ionosphere . Spaceborne radar altimeters have proven to be superb tools for mapping ocean-surface topography , the hills and valleys of the sea surface. These instruments send a microwave pulse to the ocean's surface and record the time it takes to return. A microwave radiometer corrects any delay that may be caused by water vapor in the atmosphere . Other corrections are also required to account for

2072-486: The 2000s, such as CHAMP , GRACE , and GOCE . Techniques of satellite geodesy may be classified by instrument platform: A satellite may Global navigation satellite systems are dedicated radio positioning services, which can locate a receiver to within a few meters. The most prominent system, GPS , consists of a constellation of 31 satellites (as of December 2013) in high, 12-hour circular orbits, distributed in six planes with 55° inclinations . The principle of location

2146-585: The BC-4, PC-1000, MOTS, or Baker Nunn cameras consisted of photographic observations of a satellite, or flashing light on the satellite, against a background of stars. The stars, whose positions were accurately determined, provided a framework on the photographic plate or film for a determination of precise directions from camera station to satellite. Geodetic positioning work with cameras was usually performed with one camera observing simultaneously with one or more other cameras. Camera systems are weather dependent and that

2220-466: The Doppler effect to found its system, which describes the differences in frequencies of waves between source and object. Thirdly, LRA (Laser Retroreflector Array), which is an instance of satellite laser ranging (SLR), uses corner reflectors on board the satellite to track the time it takes for lasers shot from Earth to reach the satellite and be reflected back, which can then be analyzed to understand

2294-417: The Doppler shift of a radio signal of stable frequency emitted from a satellite as the satellite approaches and recedes from the observer. The observed frequency depends on the radial velocity of the satellite relative to the observer, which is constrained by orbital mechanics . If the observer knows the orbit of the satellite, then recording the Doppler profile determines the observer's position. Conversely, if

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2368-470: The ISS. In 2011, SpaceX estimated that Falcon 9 v1.0 development costs were approximately US$ 300 million. NASA estimated development costs of US$ 3.6 billion had a traditional cost-plus contract approach been used. A 2011 NASA report "estimated that it would have cost the agency about US$ 4 billion to develop a rocket like the Falcon 9 booster based upon NASA's traditional contracting processes" while "a more commercial development" approach might have allowed

2442-530: The Instructions , located about 200 mi (320 km) out in the Pacific Ocean . This attempt followed the first successful landing and booster recovery on the previous launch in December 2015. The controlled descent through the atmosphere and landing attempt for each booster is an arrangement that is not used on other orbital launch vehicles . Approximately nine minutes into the flight,

2516-502: The Merlin-specific engine controllers, of the same fault-tolerant triad design to handle stage control functions. Each engine microcontroller CPU runs on a PowerPC architecture. Boosters that will be deliberately expended do not have legs or fins. Recoverable boosters include four extensible landing legs attached around the base. To control the core's descent through the atmosphere, SpaceX uses grid fins that deploy from

2590-434: The agency to pay only US$ 1.7 billion". In 2014, SpaceX released combined development costs for Falcon 9 and Dragon. NASA provided US$ 396 million, while SpaceX provided over US$ 450 million. Congressional testimony by SpaceX in 2017 suggested that the unusual NASA process of "setting only a high-level requirement for cargo transport to the space station [while] leaving the details to industry" had allowed SpaceX to complete

2664-507: The booster on all flights. The Hawthorne factory continues to produce one (expendable) second stage for each launch. Rockets from the Falcon 9 family have been launched 415 times over 14 years, resulting in 412 full successes ( 99.28%), two in-flight failures ( SpaceX CRS-7 and Starlink Group 9–3), and one partial success ( SpaceX CRS-1 , which delivered its cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), but

2738-591: The completion of all three demonstration missions by September 2009. In February 2008, the date slipped into the first quarter of 2009. According to Musk, complexity and Cape Canaveral regulatory requirements contributed to the delay. The first multi-engine test (two engines firing simultaneously, connected to the first stage) was completed in January 2008. Successive tests led to a 178-second (mission length), nine engine test-fire in November 2008. In October 2009,

2812-465: The components of the gravity vector on a real-time basis. A gravity gradient is simply the spatial derivative of the gravity vector. The gradient can be thought of as the rate of change of a component of the gravity vector as measured over a small distance. Hence, the gradient can be measured by determining the difference in gravity at two close but distinct points. This principle is embodied in several recent moving-base instruments. The gravity gradient at

2886-609: The establishment of the World Geodetic System . The development of GPS by the United States in the 1980s allowed for precise navigation and positioning and soon became a standard tool in surveying. In the 1980s and 1990s satellite geodesy began to be used for monitoring of geodynamic phenomena, such as crustal motion , Earth rotation , and polar motion . The 1990s were focused on the development of permanent geodetic networks and reference frames. Dedicated satellites were launched to measure Earth's gravity field in

2960-425: The findings of the failure investigation. A 7-second static fire test of the rocket was completed on 11 January 2016. The Launch Readiness Review was signed off by all parties on 15 January 2016, and the launch proceeded successfully on 17 January 2016, at 18:42 UTC . The Jason-3 payload was deployed into its target orbit at 830 mi (1,340 km) altitude after an orbital insertion burn about 56 minutes into

3034-626: The first flight-ready all-engine test fire was at its test facility in McGregor, Texas . In November, SpaceX conducted the initial second stage test firing, lasting forty seconds. In January 2010, a 329-second (mission length) orbit-insertion firing of the second stage was conducted at McGregor. The elements of the stack arrived at the launch site for integration at the beginning of February, 2010. The flight stack went vertical at Space Launch Complex 40 , Cape Canaveral , and in March, SpaceX performed

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3108-442: The first half of 2007. The initial launch would not occur until 2010. SpaceX spent its own capital to develop and fly its previous launcher, Falcon 1 , with no pre-arranged sales of launch services. SpaceX developed Falcon 9 with private capital as well, but did have pre-arranged commitments by NASA to purchase several operational flights once specific capabilities were demonstrated. Milestone-specific payments were provided under

3182-491: The flight. It was the 21st Falcon 9 flight overall and the second into a high-inclination orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 4E in California. Following paperwork filed with US regulatory authorities in 2015, SpaceX confirmed in January 2016 that they would attempt a controlled-descent flight test and vertical landing of the rocket's first stage on their west-coast floating platform Just Read

3256-528: The floating landing platform on 18 January 2016. Satellite altimeter The main goals of satellite geodesy are: Satellite geodetic data and methods can be applied to diverse fields such as navigation , hydrography , oceanography and geophysics . Satellite geodesy relies heavily on orbital mechanics . Satellite geodesy began shortly after the launch of Sputnik in 1957. Observations of Explorer 1 and Sputnik 2 in 1958 allowed for an accurate determination of Earth's flattening . The 1960s saw

3330-459: The geopotential, the general shape of the geoid , and linked the world's geodetic datums. Soviet military satellites undertook geodesic missions to assist in ICBM targeting in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Transit satellite system was used extensively for Doppler surveying, navigation, and positioning. Observations of satellites in the 1970s by worldwide triangulation networks allowed for

3404-405: The height of the Earth's surface (sea, ice, and terrestrial surfaces) from a spacecraft . Jason-1 began in 2001, Jason-2 in 2008 and Jason-3 in January 2016. That measurement, coupled with orbital elements (possibly augmented by GPS), enables determination of the terrain . The two different wavelengths of radio waves used permit the altimeter to automatically correct for varying delays in

3478-414: The influence of electrons in the ionosphere and the dry air mass of the atmosphere. Combining these data with the precise location of the spacecraft makes it possible to determine sea-surface height to within a few centimeters (about one inch). The strength and shape of the returning signal also provides information on wind speed and the height of ocean waves. These data are used in ocean models to calculate

3552-546: The launch of the Doppler satellite Transit-1B and the balloon satellites Echo 1 , Echo 2, and PAGEOS . The first dedicated geodetic satellite was ANNA-1B , a collaborative effort between NASA , the DoD , and other civilian agencies. ANNA-1B carried the first of the US Army 's SECOR (Sequential Collation of Range) instruments. These missions led to the accurate determination of the leading spherical harmonic coefficients of

3626-422: The live video feed from the drone ship went down due to the losing its lock on the uplink satellite. Elon Musk later reported that the first stage did touch down smoothly on the ship, but a lockout on one of the four landing legs failed to latch, so that the booster fell over and was destroyed. Debris from the fire, including several rocket engines attached to the octaweb assembly, arrived back to shore on board

3700-486: The observer's position is precisely known, then the orbit of the satellite can be determined and used to study the Earth's gravity. In DORIS , the ground station emits the signal and the satellite receives.       Examples: Transit , DORIS , Argos In optical triangulation, the satellite can be used as a very high target for triangulation and can be used to ascertain the geometric relationship between multiple observing stations. Optical triangulation with

3774-474: The ocean. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) are using the data primarily for monitoring wind and waves on the high seas , hurricane intensity , ocean surface currents, El Niño and La Niña forecasts, water levels of lakes and rivers. Jason-3 also reports on environmental issues such as algae blooms and oil spills. NASA and CNES are more interested in

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3848-470: The orbit height of the satellites as they revolve around Earth, to within 1 cm (0.4 inches). Combining instruments from three different techniques— GPS , DORIS, LRA. The GPS receiver on Jason-3 uses data from the constellation of GPS satellites in orbit to constantly determine its position in orbit. Similarly, DORIS is another system to help determine orbit positioning. Designed by CNES in France, DORIS uses

3922-475: The orbit perturbations), Earth rotation parameters, tidal Earth's deformations, coordinates and velocities of SLR stations, and other substantial geodetic data. Satellite laser ranging is a proven geodetic technique with significant potential for important contributions to scientific studies of the Earth/Atmosphere/Oceans system. It is the most accurate technique currently available to determine

3996-419: The orbital positioning of Jason-3 from ground tracking stations. These three techniques (GPS, DORIS, LRA) all aid in determining orbit height and positioning. Appearing on the SpaceX manifest as early as July 2013, Jason-3 was originally scheduled for launch on 22 July 2015. However, this date was pushed back to 19 August 2015 following the discovery of contamination in one of the satellite's thrusters, requiring

4070-870: The payload capability from 9,000 kg (20,000 lb) to 13,150 kg (28,990 lb). SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell stated the v1.1 had about 30% more payload capacity than published on its price list, with the extra margin reserved for returning stages via powered re-entry . Development testing of the first stage was completed in July 2013, and it first flew in September 2013. The second stage igniter propellant lines were later insulated to better support in-space restart following long coast phases for orbital trajectory maneuvers. Four extensible carbon fiber/aluminum honeycomb landing legs were included on later flights where landings were attempted. SpaceX pricing and payload specifications published for v1.1 as of March 2014 included about 30% more performance than

4144-605: The previous record held by Soyuz-U , which had 47 launches (45 successful) in 1979. In 2023, the Falcon family of rockets (including the Falcon Heavy) had 96 successful launches, surpassing the 63 launches (61 successful) of the R-7 rocket family in 1980. The Falcon 9 has evolved through several versions: v1.0 was launched five times from 2010 to 2013, v1.1 launched 15 times from 2013 to 2016, Full Thrust launched 36 times from 2015 to 2015. The most recent version, Block 5,

4218-431: The published price list indicated; SpaceX reserved the additional performance to perform reusability testing . Many engineering changes to support reusability and recovery of the first stage were made for v1.1. The Full Thrust upgrade (also known as FT, v1.2 or Block 3), made major changes. It added cryogenic propellant cooling to increase density allowing 17% higher thrust, improved the stage separation system, stretched

4292-616: The receiver's position within a few meters. More sophisticated methods, such as real-time kinematic (RTK) can yield positions to within a few millimeters. In geodesy, GNSS is used as an economical tool for surveying and time transfer . It is also used for monitoring Earth's rotation , polar motion , and crustal dynamics. The presence of the GPS signal in space also makes it suitable for orbit determination and satellite-to-satellite tracking.       Examples: GPS , GLONASS , Galileo Doppler positioning involves recording

4366-399: The research aspect, in terms of understanding and planning for climate change. Jason-3 can measure climate change via sea surface height because sea surface rise, averaged over annual time scales, is accelerated by warming global temperatures. Ultimately, the benefits of Jason-3 data will transfer to people and to the economy. Jason-3 flies at the same 9.9-day repeat track orbit and this means

4440-413: The round-trip flight-time of a microwave pulse between the satellite and the Earth's surface to determine the distance between the spacecraft and the surface. From this distance or height, the local surface effects such as tides, winds and currents are removed to obtain the satellite height above the geoid. With a precise ephemeris available for the satellite, the geocentric position and ellipsoidal height of

4514-452: The same tooling, material, and manufacturing techniques. The F9 interstage, which connects the upper and lower stages, is a carbon-fibre aluminium-core composite structure that holds reusable separation collets and a pneumatic pusher system. The original stage separation system had twelve attachment points, reduced to three for v1.1. Falcon 9 uses a payload fairing (nose cone) to protect (non-Dragon) satellites during launch. The fairing

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4588-562: The satellite are available for any given observation time. It is then possible to compute the geoid height by subtracting the measured altitude from the ellipsoidal height. This allows direct measurement of the geoid, since the ocean surface closely follows the geoid. The difference between the ocean surface and the actual geoid gives ocean surface topography .       Examples: Seasat , Geosat , TOPEX/Poseidon , ERS-1 , ERS-2 , Jason-1 , Jason-2 , Envisat , SWOT (satellite) Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR)

4662-438: The satellite will make observations over the same ocean point every 9.9 days. The orbital parameters are: 66.05º inclination , 1,380 km apogee , 1,328 km perigee , 112 minutes per revolution around Earth . It was set to fly 1 minute behind the now decommissioned Jason-2 . The 1-minute time delay was applied in order to not miss any data collection between missions. In order to detect sea level change, we need to know

4736-750: The second stage and payload to a predetermined speed and altitude, after which the second stage accelerates the payload to its target orbit. The booster is capable of landing vertically to facilitate reuse. This feat was first achieved on flight 20 in December 2015. As of 27 November 2024, SpaceX has successfully landed Falcon 9 boosters 361 times. Individual boosters have flown as many as 23 flights. Both stages are powered by SpaceX Merlin engines, using cryogenic liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene ( RP-1 ) as propellants. The heaviest payloads flown to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) were Intelsat 35e carrying 6,761 kg (14,905 lb), and Telstar 19V with 7,075 kg (15,598 lb). The former

4810-400: The second stage to hold additional propellant, and strengthened struts for holding helium bottles believed to have been involved with the failure of flight 19. It offered a reusable first stage . Plans to reuse the second-stage were abandoned as the weight of a heat shield and other equipment would reduce payload too much. The reusable booster was developed using systems and software tested on

4884-416: The speed and direction of ocean currents and the amount and location of heat stored in the ocean, which in turn reveals global climate variations . A laser altimeter uses the round-trip flight-time of a beam of light at optical or infrared wavelengths to determine the spacecraft's altitude or, conversely, the ground topography.       Examples: ICESat , MOLA . A radar altimeter uses

4958-490: The task at a substantially lower cost. "According to NASA's own independently verified numbers, SpaceX's development costs of both the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets were estimated at approximately $ 390 million in total." SpaceX originally intended to follow its Falcon 1 launch vehicle with an intermediate capacity vehicle, Falcon 5 . The Falcon line of vehicles are named after the Millennium Falcon ,

5032-493: The thruster to be replaced and further inspected. The launch was further delayed by several months due to the loss of a Falcon 9 rocket with the CRS-7 mission on 28 June 2015. After SpaceX conducted their return-to-flight mission in December 2015 with the upgraded Falcon 9 Full Thrust , Jason-3 was assigned to the final previous-generation Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket, although some parts of the rocket body had been reworked following

5106-489: The total contract value to US$ 396 million. In 2008, SpaceX won a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract in NASA 's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program to deliver cargo to ISS using Falcon 9/Dragon. Funds would be disbursed only after the demonstration missions were successfully and thoroughly completed. The contract totaled US$ 1.6 billion for a minimum of 12 missions to ferry supplies to and from

5180-850: The vehicle moments after stage separation. Initially, the V1.2 Full Thrust version of the Falcon 9 were equipped with grid fins made from aluminum, which were eventually replaced by larger, more aerodynamically efficient, and durable titanium fins. The upgraded titanium grid fins, cast and cut from a single piece of titanium, offer significantly better maneuverability and survivability from the extreme heat of re-entry than aluminum grid fins and can be reused indefinitely with minimal refurbishment. The Falcon 9 has seen five major revisions: v1.0 , v1.1 , Full Thrust (also called Block 3 or v1.2), Block 4, and Block 5 . V1.0 flew five successful orbital launches from 2010 to 2013. The much larger V1.1 made its first flight in September 2013. The demonstration mission carried

5254-406: Was an expendable launch vehicle developed from 2005 to 2010. It flew for the first time in 2010. V1.0 made five flights, after which it was retired. The first stage was powered by nine Merlin 1C engines arranged in a 3 × 3 grid. Each had a sea-level thrust of 556 kN (125,000 lb f ) for a total liftoff thrust of about 5,000 kN (1,100,000 lb f ). The second stage was powered by

5328-409: Was introduced in May 2018. With each iteration, the Falcon 9 has become more powerful and capable of vertical landing. As vertical landings became more commonplace, SpaceX focused on streamlining the refurbishment process for boosters, making it faster and more cost-effective. The Falcon Heavy derivative is a heavy-lift launch vehicle composed of three Falcon 9 first-stage boosters. The central core

5402-520: Was launched into an advantageous super-synchronous transfer orbit , while the latter went into a lower-energy GTO, with an apogee well below the geostationary altitude. On 24 January 2021, Falcon 9 set a record for the most satellites launched by a single rocket, carrying 143 into orbit. Falcon 9 is human-rated for transporting NASA astronauts to the ISS, certified for the National Security Space Launch program and

5476-489: Was on 4 June 2010, and the first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on 8 October 2012. In 2020, it became the first commercial rocket to launch humans to orbit. The Falcon 9 has an exceptional safety record, with 401 successful launches, two in-flight failures, one partial failure and one pre-flight destruction. It is the most-launched American orbital rocket in history. The rocket has two stages . The first (booster) stage carries

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