May 21, 2015 M15-079

Registration is open for U.S. and international media to cover the July 22 launch of Jason-3, the fourth mission in a series of satellite missions that measure the height of the ocean surface.
The Jason-3 mission, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Due to U.S. Air Force security requirements, international media must apply for accreditation at least 30 days before the launch.
Jason-3 is the latest in a series of U.S.-European satellite international missions that have been measuring the height of the ocean surface for 23 years. Sea level height is a critical piece of evidence about Earth’s natural cycles and climate change. Knowing sea level height also improves hurricane forecasts, navigation and the efficiency of fisheries and other offshore industries.
To apply, media should contact Capt. Selena Rodts at 805-606-3595 or selena.rodts.1@us.af.mil, or by fax at 805-606-4571. To mail an accreditation request, send the required information to Rodts at 30th Space Wing Public Affairs Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California 93437.
International media must provide their full legal name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and media affiliation. U.S. media must provide their full legal name, date of birth and media affiliation. A valid legal photo identification will be required for all media upon arrival at Vandenberg.

Image: (Right) IN May 2013, technicians at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, performed a practice run of the mechanical integration sequence used to mate the Jason-3 spacecraft's Advanced Microwave Radiometer instrument to the Jason-3 satellite. The radiometer is one of three NASA-built instruments that are integral components of Jason-3. It measures radiation from Earth's surface at three frequencies to determine the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere, which affects the accuracy of the Jason-3 altimeter measurements.