SpaceX Readies to Launch NASA Jason-3 Satellite Into Orbit

Private space exploration company SpaceX was readying to launch NASA’s Jason-3 ocean-measuring satellite into orbit on January 17, with the secondary aim of landing the rocket on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX says the satellite will map “global sea surface height,” helping forecasters “predict devastating hurricanes and severe weather before they arrive onshore,” and helping to track the rise of global sea levels. Credit: YouTube/NASAKennedy