If you ever wondered how satellite altimeters actually work, this package may be of interest for you: GitHub - ardhuin/wavesALTI: Forward and inverse modelling tools for looking at ocean wind-generated waves in altimetry data. Main contributors: Marcello Passaro, Fabrice Ardhuin and Marine De Carlo
Among other things, it contains the code for the WHALES retracker that is the baseline for the ESA seastate CCI project.