The SAR instrument provided a wealth of information on diverse ocean phenomena such as sea-surface winds and temperatures, surface and internal waves, currents, sea ice, wind, and rainfall, thus giving the first global view of ocean circulation. It pioneered satellite oceanography and proved the viability of imaging radar for studying our planet.

Seasat's SAR instrument also provided spectacular images of Earth's land surfaces, thus demonstrating the immense potential of the SAR observation technology and generating great interest in satellite active microwave remote sensing.

The specific mission objectives were:

• Provide an evaluation of sensor capabilities to measure the following geophysical parameters:
  • Wave heights
  • Wave length and direction
  • Surface wind speed and direction
  • Ocean surface temperature
  • Atmospheric water content (liquid and vapour)
  • Sea ice morphology and dynamics
  • Icebergs
• Provide oceanographic data for participating users and, following geophysical evaluation, for distribution to the general user community:
  • Predictions of wave height, directional spectra and wind fields for ship routing, ship design, storm damage avoidance, coastal disaster warning, coastal protection and development, and deep water port development
  • Maps of current patterns and temperatures for ship routing, fishing, pollution dispersion and iceberg hazard avoidance.
  • Charts of ice fields and leads for navigation and weather prediction
  • Charts of the ocean geoid fine structure
• Determine key features of an operational ocean dynamics monitoring system including:
  • Sensor operation
  • Global sampling
  • Production of geophysical data records
  • Near real-time data handling
  • User operations interaction Precision orbit determination
• Demonstrate the economic and social. benefits of user agency products

SeaSat-1 was a pioneering Earth observation experimental mission of NASA/JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory). The first ever civilian spaceborne imaging radar instrument (SAR) was flown on Seasat in 1978. During its brief 110-day lifetime - the mission ended early due to a malfunction - SeaSat-1 collected more information about the oceans than had been acquired in the previous 100 years of shipboard research. It established satellite oceanography and proved the viability of imaging radar for studying our planet. Most importantly, it spawned many subsequent Earth remote sensing satellites and instruments at JPL and elsewhere that track changes in Earth's oceans, land and ice. Its advances were also subsequently applied to missions to other planets

The SAR instrument on Seasat provided a wealth of information on diverse ocean phenomena such as sea-surface winds and temperatures, surface and internal waves, currents, sea ice, wind, and rainfall, thus giving the first global view of ocean circulation.