QuikSCAT facts for kids
The QuikSCAT (which stands for Quick Scatterometer) was a special satellite that orbited Earth. Its main job was to measure the speed and direction of winds over the oceans. This information was very important for weather forecasting, especially for predicting dangerous storms like tropical cyclones.
The satellite was built by NASA and its JPL team. It was launched into space on June 19, 1999. QuikSCAT was a "quick recovery" mission. This means it was sent up quickly to replace another NASA satellite called NSCAT, which had stopped working in 1997.
 QuikSCAT |
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| Organization | JPL, NASA |
|---|---|
| Mission Type | Earth observation |
| Contractor | Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. |
| Satellite of | Earth |
| Launch | June 19, 1999 on a Titan II |
| Launch site | Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| Mission duration | 2–3 years |
| Mass | 971 kg (launch) |
| Webpage | winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/ |
| Orbital elements | |
| Semimajor Axis | 7180.8 km |
| Eccentricity | 0.00014 |
| Inclination | 98.6 degrees |
| Orbital Period | 100.93 minutes |
| Right ascension of the ascending node | 178.47 degrees |
| Argument of perigee | 47.4 degrees |
| Instruments | |
| SeaWinds | microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction |
Contents
Why QuikSCAT Was Important
QuikSCAT played a very important role in gathering weather data. After another satellite, ADEOS II, failed in 2003, QuikSCAT became the only US satellite that could measure ocean surface winds. This made its data crucial for forecasters.
Other space agencies, like the European Space Agency, also have their own scatterometer satellites. An example is the Envisat satellite.
Challenges and Concerns
Over time, QuikSCAT started having technical problems. It began running on a backup system. This meant there was a risk it could stop working at any moment. If QuikSCAT failed, it would make it harder to predict weather, especially dangerous storms.
In 2007, a director at the National Hurricane Center in Florida, Bill Proenza, spoke out about this issue. He was concerned that there wasn't a clear plan to replace QuikSCAT's abilities if it stopped working. He believed this could affect how well they could forecast hurricanes.
How QuikSCAT Worked
QuikSCAT carried a special tool called SeaWinds. This instrument was a type of microwave radar. It sent out microwave signals towards the ocean surface. By analyzing how these signals bounced back, SeaWinds could figure out the speed and direction of the winds just above the water.
This information was then sent down to Earth. Scientists and weather forecasters at organizations like the NOAA used this data. It helped them create more accurate weather maps and storm predictions.
Images for kids
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Launch of the Titan II on June 19, 1999
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Image of Antarctica produced by the SeaWinds instrument on May 24, 2000
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QuikSCAT image of Hurricane Katrina on August 28, 2005 over the Gulf of Mexico
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The last image produced from QuikSCAT data (placed on top of two GOES images) shortly before the antenna stopped spinning. Note the small area where wind data is present in comparison the area covered by the image.
See also
In Spanish: QuikSCAT para niños
