Skip Navigation
menu close modal
Resources

Probing the Depths of "SWOT in a Box"

Visiting Scout uses a color-coded, calibrated stick to determine "sea surface topography"
Published: June 4, 2016

Visiting Scout uses a color-coded, calibrated stick to determine "sea surface topography" within a wooden box while his sister records his results by placing stickers on a card.

ENLARGE

Related

SWOT leaving NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, en route to March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, California. Once the scientific payload arrived, it was sent to a Thale...
More
A photo of the SWOT instrument loaded on a truck outside of the Spacecraft Assembly Facility and the large NASA logo painted on it.
SWOT leaving NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California en route to March Air Reserve Base.
This SWOT "Bannerbug" exhibit was created for display during hardware tests conducted during an eleven-day period in October 2008.
More
SWOT Banner on Display
SWOT Banner on Display
Canada is home to more than 30,000 lakes including these water bodies in Northern Alberta. The abundance of surface freshwater in Canada makes it a prime target for AirSWOT investigations.
More
Northern Alberta Lakes, Canada
Northern Alberta Lakes, Canada
A diagram illustrating the swaths of data that SWOT will collect. 
More
A diagram illustrating the swaths of data that SWOT will collect.
Diagram of SWOT Data Collection
Alaska lakes.
More
Alaska lakes
Alaska Lakes
SWOT Applications Lead, Margaret Srinivasan, helps young visitors match data user types - from coastal safety officers to farmers - with pictures representing SWOT applications.
More
SWOT Matching Card Game
SWOT Matching Card Game
Artist's impression of the future SWOT satellite making sea surface height observations, even through clouds.
More
Artist's impression of the future SWOT satellite making sea surface height observations, even through clouds.
Artist's Impression of the SWOT Satellite
An early rendering of the SWOT spacecraft (February 2011).
More
An early rendering of the SWOT spacecraft (February 2011).
SWOT Spacecraft (Artist Concept)
Artist’s concept of seven altimeters orbiting Earth: Jason-CS/Sentinel-6B, SWOT, Sentinel-6A, Jason 3, TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason 1 and OSTM/Jason 2.
More
graphic of 7 altimeters orbiting Earth
Altimeter Series
SWOT is being jointly developed by NASA and Centre National D’Études Spatiales (CNES).
More
CNES logo
Centre National D'Études Spatiales
Soccer Nets on a levee in the Amazon
More
Soccer Nets on a Levee in the Amazon
Soccer Nets on a Levee in the Amazon
The SWOT Payload module consists of two primary components: the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) and the Nadir module.
More
SWOT Payload
SWOT Payload
A photograph of the Varzea Forest area of Brazil (1 of 4).
More
A photograph of the Varzea Forest area of Brazil (1 of 4).
Varzea Forest, Brazil
Siberian Lakes
More
Siberian Lakes
Siberian Lakes
An image of the original concept for the Water and Terrestrial Elevation Recovery (WATER) Mission, which later became SWOT.
More
An image of the original concept for the Water and Terrestrial Elevation Recovery (WATER) Mission, which later became SWOT.
WATER Mission Concept Illustration
A view of SWOT from inside a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft, as it was being loaded en route to Thales Alenia Space near Cannes, France.
More
A view from inside the plane as the SWOT instrument is being loaded on.
A view of SWOT as it was being loaded into a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft en route to Thales Alenia Space near Cannes, France.
Arctic Lakes
More
Arctic Lakes
Arctic Lakes
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Open House visitors are delighted to see how well their color-coded stickers match the "sea surface topography" model of the Gulf Stream within a wooden box.
More
"SWOT in a Box" Reveal - Gulf Stream Model
"SWOT in a Box" Reveal - Gulf Stream Model
NASA’s Blue Marble
More
NASA’s Blue Marble
NASA's Blue Marble
The Canadian Space Agency will contribute to the SWOT Mission by providing a high-power assembly component for SWOT’s Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn).
More
CSA logo
Canadian Space Agency
The U.K. Space Agency will provide a part of the radar payload for SWOT.
More
U.K Space Agency logo
United Kingdom Space Agency
Lake Calado, Amazon
More
Lake Calado, Amazon
Lake Calado, Amazon
A photograph of the Amazon River Delta, captured by Landsat in 2006.
More
A photograph of the Amazon River Delta, captured by Landsat in 2006.
Landsat view of Amazon Delta
Amazon Fishermen
More
Amazon Fishermen
Amazon Fishermen
Highly visible in their red shirts, SWOT project team members - including Project Manager Parag Vaze at left - interact with the public during the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) "Open House" ...
More
SWOT Exhibit at JPL Open House
SWOT Exhibit at JPL Open House