Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission
Due to launch in April 2022, SWOT – a joint development between NASA and French space agency CNES, with help from Canada and the UK – is designed to accurately measure the height of Earth’s surface water. The SWOT mission aims to measure how bodies of water change over time. It will use a radar altimeter to measure the height of oceans, rivers and lakes across 90 per cent of the globe at least twice every 21 days at an average precision better than 1.5 centimetres (0.6 inches).
This data will lead to better weather and climate forecasting, providing more accurate information about sea and river levels that can be plugged into the supercomputer prediction models used by meteorological agencies. It will also be able to measure the 3D shape of floodwater, track flood levels and improve our ability to predict future floods.
The largest effect SWOT may have on Earth’s population is the data it will provide about freshwater management. This will help urban planners to manage the distribution of water for agricultural, industrial and urban needs by providing information about reservoirs and major rivers. The enhanced knowledge we will gain of Earth’s water cycle and ocean circulations will help us to better understand everything from surface water to the deep oceans, and this should improve our reactions to natural disasters, waterborne diseases, sharing water sources among different populations and countries, as well as managing electricity production from renewable means and safeguarding biodiversity.