The Ocean Dynamics Satellite (Seasat 1) was designed to provide measurements of sea-surface winds, sea-surface temperatures, wave heights, internal waves, atmospheric liquid water content, sea ice features, ocean features, ocean topography, and the marine geoid. Seasat 1 provided 95% global coverage every 36 h. The instrument payload consisted of (1) an X-band compressed pulse radar altimeter (ALT), (2) a coherent synthetic aperture radar (SAR), (3) a Seasat-A scatterometer system (SASS), (4) a scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR), and (5) a visible and infrared radiometer (VIRR). The accuracies obtained were distance between spacecraft and ocean surface to 10 cm, wind speeds to 2 m/s, and surface temperatures to 1 deg C. For more information about Seasat 1, see "Seasat mission overview," Science, v. 204, pp. 1405-1424, 1979, and a special issue on the Seasat 1 sensors, IEEE J. of Oceanic Eng., v. OE-5, 1980. On October 10, 1978, Seasat 1 failed due to a massive short circuit in its electrical system. During most of its 105 days in orbit, Seasat 1 returned a unique and extensive set of observations of the earth's oceans.

Launch Date:聽1978-06-27Launch聽Vehicle:聽Atlas-AgenaLaunch聽Site:聽Vandenberg AFB, United StatesMass:聽1800聽kg

Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office