On Friday, at 12:46 a.m., at the Vandenberg Air Force Base, a Delta 2 rocket was launched carrying a very important cargo: a tool that will be used for monitoring ocean levels and collecting data that will eventually lead to the improvement of weather forecasts.

The Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM), or as project members fondly call it, Jason 2, is a collaboration between NASA and France, totalled costs of about $432 million.

This is not an innovative idea; similar information has been gathered by two other satellites since 1992. With the new tool however, the mission is brought to an entirely different level as the instruments are far more advanced.

Lee-Lueng Fu, Jason 2 project scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena described the ocean as a "natural thermostat regulating our climate." Without its action, the atmosphere’s temperature would be much higher.

According to Mr. Fu, since satellites have started being used for ocean level monitoring, a 3 millimetre-yearly-rise could be observed. He went on to say that even though this may seem like an insignificant number, it is in fact an accelerated evolution, when compared to certain forecasts.

What scientists must now do, is to determine whether or not this is caused by global warming. If this should be the case, a series of additional power-saving and pollution reducing-measures will have to be taken.

As it can monitor ocean currents as well, Jason 2 will also come in handy in ship route management; the information it will provide is expected to improve the "efficiency of sea transport."