Launched on August 10, 1992, TOPEX/Poseidon was a joint satellite mission between NASA, the U.S. space agency, and CNES, the French space agency, to map ocean surface topography. The first major oceanographic research vessel to sail into space, TOPEX/Poseidon helped revolutionize oceanography by proving the value of satellite ocean observations. The distinguished oceanographer Walter Munk described TOPEX/Poseidon as "the most successful ocean experiment of all time."[1] A malfunction ended normal satellite operations January 2006