Jason-3 hands over Reference Altimetry Mission to Sentinel-6
Jason-3 will soon move to an interleaved orbit with Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich which will become the Reference Altimetry Mission.
16 February 2023
24 March 2022
Following the completion of Sentinel-6 instrument cross-calibration with Jason-3, achieved during the tandem flight phase, and similarly to the strategy adopted previously with Jason-2 at the time when Jason-3 became the Reference Altimetry Mission, Jason-3 will be relocated into an interleaved orbit with Sentinel-6. This will allow to maximise the temporal and spatial sampling provided by the two altimetry missions.
The series of manoeuvres to place Jason-3 into interleaved orbit will start on 7 April 2022. During the duration of the manoeuvres, the Jason-3 altimeter will be switched off. The provision of Jason-3 altimetry products to users will resume on 25 April 2022, when Jason-3 will already be in interleaved orbit with Sentinel-6.
The mission requirements on the Jason-3 portfolio of products will remain the same after the Jason-3 orbit relocation.
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will be considered the Reference Altimetry Mission from 7 April 2022 (from cycle 52).
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