SEASTAR (OrbView-2)

The Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) measures ocean color by detecting subtle variations in the color of seawater across eight visible and near-infrared spectral bands. Ocean color directly indicates the concentration of chlorophyll from phytoplankton, which allows scientists to estimate ocean biological productivity. This data is critical for understanding the ocean's role in the global carbon cycle and monitoring marine ecosystems.

SEASTAR (OrbView-2) was launched on August 1, 1997, using a Pegasus XL air-launched rocket dropped from beneath an L-1011 aircraft flying from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The mission was sponsored by NASA and built and operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation. The Pegasus air-launch system was uniquely suited for placing small satellites into precise sun-synchronous orbits.

SeaWiFS on SEASTAR was the first ocean color mission since the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS), which operated on the Nimbus-7 satellite from 1978 to 1986. SeaWiFS was designed to provide continuous global measurements of ocean biological productivity with improved calibration and more spectral bands than CZCS. The data from both missions helped establish the baseline for long-term ocean biology studies.

SEASTAR's SeaWiFS sensor collected data for over 13 years, far exceeding its planned five-year mission design. The mission delivered its final data in late 2010 after more than a decade of continuous operation. This extended dataset became a cornerstone for long-term studies of ocean primary productivity and climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems.