Structural, Thermal, and Optical Performance (STOP) Modeling and Analysis for the Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission

摘要

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission objectives include high-resolution measurement of continental water levels and the topography of the ocean surface, which aids climate modeling and predictions. The primary instrument is the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), which has stringent requirements on overall phase error in order to achieve its design performance. We conducted extensive structural, thermal, and optical performance (STOP) modeling in order to analyze the design viability to meet performance requirements. In this paper, we present the modeling and results of our study. These predictions will be used to project results of on-orbit performance. We also share lessons learned regarding