Seasat-A: a retrospective

Abstract

This paper traces the highlights of the Seasat-A project from its earliest conceptual phases through the orbital operations phase. The primary objective of the project was to demonstrate the feasibility of remotely sensing fundamental oceanographic phenomena on a global, accurate, reliable and timely basis from an Earth-orbiting platform. The project successfully achieved its primary objective, in spite of a premature spacecraft failure, and thus provided a firm basis for the development of sensors for future ocean-observing space missions.