SpaceX received an award from NASA to launch its Earth Science satellite by Falcon 9 in 2021. The award was given to SpaceX on November 22.
The chance is to launch NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, The mission is scheduled for April 2021. The mission which will be carried out by SpaceX will include the launch service along with spacecraft processing, payload integration, and tracking, data and telemetry support.
The total cost of the mission is estimated up to $112 million.
The mission is done in first of its kind as global survey of Earth’s surface water. The SWOT mission will do a detailed examination of the number of hot water bodies on Earth’s surface their changes. The satellite will survey at least 90% of the planet where it will study Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans. The sturdy will be done at least twice every 21 days.
This constant check on the water will aid in freshwater management around the world and will to improve ocean circulation models and weather and climate predictions.
The SWOT spacecraft is actually a joint mission which is developed and managed by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).
Image Credit: NASA
