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WATER Mission Concept Illustration

An image of the original concept for the Water and Terrestrial Elevation Recovery (WATER) Mission, which later became SWOT.
Published: July 3, 2003

An image of the original concept for the Water and Terrestrial Elevation Recovery (WATER) Mission, which later became SWOT.

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Floodplain Channel in the Amazon
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Floodplain Channel in the Amazon
Floodplain Channel in the Amazon
AirSWOT is using parts of Saskatchewan as a testing ground for mapping water levels.
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The Saskatchewan River and Prairie Potholes
The Saskatchewan River and Prairie Potholes
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 of Mexico within a wooden box.
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"SWOT in a Box" Reveal - Gulf of Mexico Model
"SWOT in a Box" Reveal - Gulf of Mexico Model
A photograph of the Varzea Forest area of Brazil (2 of 4).
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A photograph of the Varzea Forest area of Brazil (2 of 4).
Varzea Forest, Brazil
SWOT will collect data across a 75-mile (120-kilometer) wide swath, with a gap in the center for an altimetry track. This animation shows the collection of data over the state of Florida, which is ...
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An animation showing how SWOT will collect data once it is in space.
This animation shows a simulation of SWOT collecting data over the state of Florida.
NASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for SWOT.
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SpaceX Launch Vehicle
SpaceX Launch Vehicle
Engineers integrate separate parts of the SWOT satellite into one in a Thales Alenia Space clean room facility in Cannes, France.
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A Photo from a high vantage point showing parts of the SWOT satellite being integrated in a clean room in France
Part of the SWOT satellite's science instrument payload in a clean room at a Thales facility.
This collaborative mission poster, designed by CNES (French Space Agency), shows the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite soaring over an abstract of a water molecule.
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This collaborative mission poster, designed by CNES (French Space Agency), shows the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite soaring over an abstract of a water molecule.
Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission Poster
An early rendering of the SWOT spacecraft (February 2011).
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An early rendering of the SWOT spacecraft (February 2011).
SWOT Spacecraft (Artist Concept)
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" ...
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SWOT Exhibit at JPL Open House
SWOT Exhibit at JPL Open House
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.
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"SWOT in a Box" Reveal - Gulf Stream Model
"SWOT in a Box" Reveal - Gulf Stream Model
Lake Calado, Amazon
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Lake Calado, Amazon
Lake Calado, Amazon
Teams from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and the March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, California, loaded the scientific payload for the SWOT Earth-observing satelli...
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Team members pushing the SWOT scientific payload onto an airplane for transport to France.
SWOT's scientific payload loading into a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane for transport to Cannes, France.
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.
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Northern Alberta Lakes, Canada
Northern Alberta Lakes, Canada
SWOT's nominal coverage during its 3-year science orbit will include measurements between 78°N and 78°S collected over a period of 21 days. Maps show the coverage after 3 days (left) and the full 2...
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SWOT Science Orbit
SWOT Science Orbit
An alternate logo for the Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission.
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An alternate logo for the Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission.
SWOT Mission Logo with Full Text
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...
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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.
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).
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CSA logo
Canadian Space Agency
Crowds flock to the Earth Sciences exhibits during the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) "Open House" event, giving volunteers (red shirts) a chance to share information about their various miss...
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JPL Open House Earth Sciences Exhibits
JPL Open House Earth Sciences Exhibits
The SWOT Payload module consists of two primary components: the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) and the Nadir module.
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SWOT Payload
SWOT Payload
An artist’s concept of the SWOT spacecraft (January 2012).
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An artist’s concept of the SWOT spacecraft (January 2012).
SWOT Spacecraft (Artist Concept)
A photograph of the Amazon River Delta, captured by Landsat in 2006.
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A photograph of the Amazon River Delta, captured by Landsat in 2006.
Landsat view of Amazon Delta
Part of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite's science instrument payload sits in a clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory during assembly.  
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SWOT's science instrument payload sitting in a clean room during assembly.
Part of the SWOT satellite's science instrument payload in a clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
An artist’s concept of the SWOT spacecraft (March 2012).
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An artist’s concept of the SWOT spacecraft (March 2012).
SWOT Spacecraft (Artist Concept)
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.
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Visiting Scout uses a color-coded, calibrated stick to determine "sea surface topography"
Probing the Depths of "SWOT in a Box"