RapidScat was a Ku-band (13.4 GHz) dual pencil beam rapid scatterometer that provided all-weather ocean surface wind vector measurements over the ice-free global oceans calibrated to a 10-meter reference height. Its location on the International Space Station made it the first space-borne scatterometer that could observe how winds evolve throughout the course of a day. 

RapidScat began providing its first set of calibrated, science-quality measurements in October 2014. In August 2016, the Space Station's Columbus module experienced a power loss, which resulted in a total, unrecoverable power loss to RapidScat. Data collection ended on August 19, 2016.