OCO-2_Eph: Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 Spacecraft Position and Velocity

OCO-2 Level 0 spacecraft ephemerides V11.2 provides the precise position and velocity of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite for each orbit. This data is generated from APID 20 telemetry and an Orbit Boundary File and is essential for geolocating the mission's primary science measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The dataset is hosted by NASA's GES DISC and represents the current version (11.2), superseding all older releases.

Use Cases

• Generating geolocations for OCO-2 science data based on the described spacecraft position and velocity.
• Validating satellite orbit models using the provided ephemeris data derived from APID 20 telemetry.
• Supporting atmospheric carbon flux inversion studies by ensuring accurate spatial registration of CO2 concentration measurements.

Strengths

• Represents the authoritative current version (11.2) of the dataset, with older versions explicitly superseded.
• Serves a critical, defined function as essential input for geolocating the primary OCO-2 carbon dioxide science data.
• Data is associated with a high-profile NASA mission (OCO-2) designed for precise, space-based CO2 measurement.

Limitations

• Column names and a precise row count are not provided in the available metadata, limiting understanding of the data structure.
• There is a conflict regarding the current version; some entries reference Version 11 while others reference Version 11.2.
• The dataset's size and specific temporal coverage are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission, processed by GES DISC.

Collection Method

Generated from APID 20 telemetry and an Orbit Boundary File.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:34:44.413235

Geography

Global, based on the orbit of the OCO-2 satellite.