OSTM/Jason-2: Assessment of the System Performances (Ocean Surface Topography Mission: OSTM)

On June 20, 2008, Jason-2 was successfully launched by a Boeing Delta II rocket from the Vandenberg site, California. The OSTM/Jason-2 project is a cooperation among NASA, NOAA, EUMETSAT, and CNES. The first two months of the OSTM/Jason-2 mission have been dedicated to the assessment of the overall system. The goal of this assessment phase was: (i) to assess the behavior of the spacecraft, at the platform and payload levels; (ii) to verify that platform performance requirements are met with respect to Jason-2 requirements; (iii) to verify that payload instruments performance requirements evaluated at instrument level are met; and (iv) to assess the performance of the Jason-2 Ground System. The paper will display the main outputs of the assessment of the system. It will demonstrate that all the elements of the onboard and ground systems are within the specifications.