Satellite Data & Water Management: successful launch of the SWOT satellite!
OiEau, which has placed innovation at the heart of its practices for decades, is proud to have been associated with the successful launch of the SWOT* (Surface Water Ocean Topography) satellite. This first space mission to study almost all the fresh water on the Earth's surface took place on Friday 16 December 2022, from the Vandenberg Space Force base in California.
Since its creation in 2014, the SWOT space hydrology working group, led by OiEau, is composed of French research, institutional, technical and operational actors such as the CNES, IRD, AFD, IRSTEA, BRLi, CNR and the CLS.
Its objective?
To reconcile the technical and scientific visions and the needs of users concerning satellite data useful for water management. For nearly 10 years, these players have been pooling their work to promote the implementation of innovative technologies and know-how.
Together, they have prepared the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) mission, whose satellite is dedicated to collecting altimetric data on freshwater resources with centimetre accuracy.
These data are an innovative and efficient complement to field surveys. This data collection can be carried out in areas that are not, or are very difficult to access.
A major asset for better water management and more effective adaptation to climate change.
*SWOT is the latest addition to a satellite altimetry programme developed jointly by the French space agency (CNES) and the US civil space agency (NASA).
Thanks to this cooperation, CICOS now has a hydrological information system combining in situ and space data, which is extremely useful to the Member States.
Few exemples of projects
