ESA - CryoSat - February launch for ESA's CryoSat ice mission

CryoSat at a glance

An Earth Explorer CryoSat: an icy mission Earth’s changing ice Facts and figures

About the satellite

Platform Instruments

About the launch

Launch site Launcher After launch

Meet the team

Richard Francis - Project Manager Tommaso Parrinello - Mission Manager Duncan Wingham, Lead Investigator Klaus Köble, EADS Astrium Project Manager Mark Drinkwater, Mission Scientist Bill Simpson, Launch Campaign Manager Nic Mardle, Spacecraft Operations Manager Laurent Rey, Thales Alenia Space SIRAL Project Manager Malcolm Davidson, Validation Manager

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February launch for ESA's CryoSat ice mission

14 September 2009

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ESA’s CryoSat-2 Project Manager, Richard Francis, standing in front of the satellite at IABG’s spacecraft test centre in Germany.

Credits: ESA

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The CryoSat mission will provide data to determine the precise rate of change in the thickness of the polar ice sheets and floating sea ice. It is capable of detecting changes as little as 1 cm per year. The information from the CryoSat will lead to a better understanding of how the volume of ice on Earth is changing and, in turn, a better appreciation of how ice and climate are linked.

Credits: ESA – P. Carril

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CryoSat-2 in the solar simulation chamber

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CryoSat-2 in the solar simulation chamber at IABG’s facilities in Ottobrunn, Germany in May 2009. The picture is taken through the viewing window while the satellite is under vacuum and illuminated by the ‘Sun’ as part of the thermal balance test phase.

Credits: ESA

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Data from ESA’s CryoSat mission will lead to a better understanding of how the volume of ice on Earth is changing and, in turn, a better appreciation of how climate and ice are linked.

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CryoSat-2 undergoing testing in the electromagnetic compatibility chamber at IABG’s facilities in Ottobrunn, Germany in May 2009. These tests confirm that all the subsystems operate correctly together, and that the satellite is compatible with the Dnepr launcher.

Credits: ESA