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Sustained Ocean Color Observations with Nanosatellites

SOCON

Our team is under contract to develop, construct, launch and operate the SeaHawk CubeSat with a HawkEye Ocean Color Sensor. We will be one of the only non-governmental operators of an Environmental Remote Sensing Satellite.

Data are handled by NASA and made available to the International Ocean Color Community.

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Archived Data Access
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SeaHawk-1 Ocean Color Cubesat is Operational!

We’re excited to announce that, as of June 21, 2021, SeaHawk-1 Cubesat, which is outfitted with the HawkEye Ocean Color Imager, completed on-orbit commissioning and is entering into a period of phased startup of Operations. In addition, NASA’s free software package for the processing, display and analysis of ocean color data known as SeaDAS, has been updated to include support for HawkEye. Want to see real-time position of SeaHawk-1 satellite, projected path and trajectory, as well as the estimated date and time overflying ground stations in Scotland, NASA Wallops, Alaska, Svalbard? Use the link below!
Real-Time Position

Our Funding and Goal

Funded by the Gordon and Betty Foundation, our project was tasked to collect and disseminate Ocean Color Data via the use of Nanosatellites. Our goal is to observe ocean color in high temporal and spatial resolution modes. To achieve this, we use a low-cost, next-generation, miniature ocean color sensor flown aboard a CubeSat.

What do we mean by Ocean Color?

Learn More from NASA

What is CubeSat?

A CubeSat is a type of nanosatellite with volumes in multiples of 3.0 liter (30cm3). Typically, it uses commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for its electronics.

Ocean Color Satellites Improvements

Ocean color satellites provide a unique vantage point for observing the changing biology in the surface ocean. Using nanotechnology, we constructed an instrument with 8 times the resolution and with a development time and construction cost of both approximately 10% that of SeaWiFS.

How SeaWiFS Transformed Biological Oceanography

SeaWiFS transformed biological oceanography by providing data that advanced our knowledge. It also helped us understand how the things we do, and how natural variability affects the Earth's ability to support life.

SeaWiFS Data Helped Us

  • Monitor the biological consequences of change
  • Understand how changes affect elemental cycles, such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles
  • Examine how the ocean’s biological processes influence the climate system
SOCON Phase 1
SOCON Phase 2

Design and Construction of SeaHawk Satellite Bus and HawkEye Ocean Color Sensor

In early January 2015, a team of scientists and engineers from University of North Carolina Wilmington, Cloudland Instruments of Santa Barbara, CA, Clyde Space of Glasgow, UK, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, led by UNCW Professor John M. Morrison, received funds from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to develop a proof-of-concept satellite mission "to demonstrate capability to construct low-cost autonomous nanosatellites to provide sustained, high spatial resolution and temporal resolution information about the surface ocean processes."

The "science dream team" is composed of investigators that have been involved in the forefront of ocean color remote sensing since its inception 30+ years ago.

Program review in 2017 determined that the design, and construction of two 3U Satellites --- SeaHawk-1 and SeaHawk-2, outfitted with HawkEye Ocean Color Sensors, were nearing launch readiness.

SeaHawk Ocean Color Satellite Launch and Proof-of-Concept Operations

In June 2017, we entered into Phase 2 of the program, “support one-year, proof-of-concept SeaHawk/HawkEye Missions for each of the satellites including: management; preparation, pre-launch testing and launch; satellite telemetry, tracking, and command; data downlink; data processing, calibration, distribution and storage; and, in situ vicarious calibration,” from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

SeaHawk-1 Ocean Color Cubesat, outfitted with HawkEye Ocean Color Sensors was launched on December 3rd, 2018 aboard the SpaceX Spaceflight SSA-O SmallSat Express (http://spaceflight.com/sso-a/) using a Falcon IX booster from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. SeaHawk-1 with the HawkEye-1 Ocean Color Sensor was featured out of 64 satellites aboard the rideshare mission. The satellite was integrated into the launch module in Seattle, Washington, in early October 2018 and transported to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, in late October 2018. For more details on this go to our launch page.

On June 21st, 2021, SeaHawk-1 Cubesat outfitted with the HawkEye Ocean Color Imager completed on-orbit "Commissioning" and entered into a period of phased startup of "Operations".

“ We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came.  ”
John F. Kennedy 

Project Partners

Cloudland Instruments Visit Cloudland Instruments
AAC Clyde Space See AAC Clyde Space Site
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Check out NASA's Space Flight Center
Spaceflight Learn More About Spaceflight
UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Visit UGA
UNCW Team View Our Team

Contact UNCW

Sammy Seahawk

Phone: (910) 962-0000

sammyseahawk@uncw.edu

601 College Rd
Wilmington, NC, 28403

Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Summer hours:
Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday, 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

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