Jason-2

Jason-2/OSTM takes over and continues Topex/Poseidon and Jason-1 missions in 2008, in the frame of a cooperation between Cnes, Eumetsat, Nasa and Noaa. It carries the same kind of payload than its two predecessors, for an high-accuracy altimetry mission: a Poseidon-class altimeter, a radiometer and three location systems. The orbit is also the same.

The Jason-2 payload includes the next generation of Poseidon altimeter (Poseidon-3, with the same general characteristics than Poseidon-2, but with a lower instrumental noise, an algorithm enabling a better tracking over land and ice, and the Doris location system. The accuracy should be of about 2.5 cm on the altimeter measurements.

Three new instruments (T2L2, LPT, Carmen-2) are moreover onboard, to study radiations in the satellite environment (LPT, Carmen-2), and to measure a laser path delay. Besides their scientific interest, these instruments should allow to enhance data quality and accuracy.