TOPEX/Poseidon - The ocean topography experiment

The configuration of the TOPEX/Poseidon mission is discussed in an overview of the launch and experimental objectives related to the deployment planned for 1992. The spacecraft carries equipment for radar altimetry and precise orbit determination, and the instruments are expected to provide precise observations of global ocean dynamics. Six scientific instruments are described including the Laser Retroreflector Array, the Tracking System Receiver, and GPS Demonstration Receiver. Also described are the orbit configuration of the satellite, verification of system performance, and the techniques for data processing. The observations from the TOPEX/Poseidon experiment can provide data that is free of sea-level variabilities and describes the general circulation of the ocean and its variability.