4.2.2. The Jason-1 mission

Jason-1 is the follow-on to Topex/Poseidon, whose main features it has inherited (orbit, instruments, measurement accuracy, etc.), and is being developed jointly by CNES and NASA. Satellite control and data processing operations are performed by a new ground segment.

On mid-February, 2009 (on the beginning of cycle 262), The Jason-1's orbit is shifted midway between its original ground tracks (corresponding to those of Topex/Poseidon after 2002) while OSTM/Jason-2 still keeps the original ground tracks (those of Topex/Poseidon before 2002 and Jason-1 before February 2009). OSTM/Jason-2 and Jason-1 have also a time lag of approximatively 5-days. This new tandem configuration better is better suited for real-time applications.