The SEASAT project, which demonstrated the feasibility of microwave oceanographic remote sensing, was sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The evaluation of the measurement system (elements of the satellite, the sensors, the data handling, and data processing subsystems) was a key activity of the SEASAT project. This paper summarizes the primary achievements and highlights the generic limitations of the evaluation process. Other papers in this issue present details of the geophysical evaluation process carried out under the auspices of the SEASAT project.