ESAHomeUnderstanding Our PlanetSecuring Our EnvironmentBenefiting Our Economy
   
About understanding our planet
Space and Earth Monitoring
About Observing the Earth
Opportunities with us
Multimedia
Services
Calendar
 
 
 
Bookmark and Share
 
 
 
 
Article Images
Scientists endure Arctic for last campaign prior to CryoSat-2 launch
 
9 May 2008

Drilling through the ice
Download:
 HI-RES JPEG (Size: 248 kb)
Drilling through the sea ice is labour intensive work required to measure sea ice thickness in situ.

Credits: ESA
 
 
Main sites for CryoVEx 2008
Download:
 HI-RES JPEG (Size: 931 kb)
The CryoSat Validation Experiment (CryoVEx) 2008 is an extensive three-week experiment programme taking place in the far north of Greenland and Canada during April and May 2008. CryoVEx 2008 is part of the validation programme for ESA's ice mission CryoSat-2 due for launch in 2009.

Credits: ESA
 
 
The EM Bird and helicopter
Download:
 HI-RES JPEG (Size: 796 kb)
The EM Bird was used extensively during CryoVEx 2008 to measure sea-ice thickness. Using the EM Bird on the helicopter scientists can measure sea-ice thickness over many kilometres.

Credits: ESA
 
 
Download:
 HI-RES JPEG (Size: 265 kb)
Artist's impression of CryoSat.

The launch of the CryoSat spacecraft was unfortunately aborted on 8 October 2005 due to a malfunction of its Rockot launcher, which resulted in the total loss of the spacecraft.

At the latest meeting of the European Space Agency's Earth Observation Programme Board, which took place at ESA’s Headquarters in Paris on 23 and 24 February 2006, ESA received the green light from its Member States to build and launch a CryoSat recovery mission, CryoSat-2.

Credits: ESA - AOES Medialab

 
 
A GPS Buoy undergoing testing
Download:
 HI-RES JPEG (Size: 488 kb)
GPS buoys are used during the campaign to measure sea ice drift. They are deployed through planes or helicopter landing directly on sea ice floes.

Credits: ESA
 
 
The EM Bird being towed by a helicopter
Download:
 HI-RES JPEG (Size: 368 kb)
The EM Bird in action measuring sea ice thickness.

Credits: ESA
 
 
Related news
Physicist contributes to CryoSat on trek to North PoleESA satellite guides polar explorers across disintegrating sea-iceScientists and polar explorers brave the elements in support of CryoSat-2
In depth
CryoSat-2Campaigns
Related links
Danish National Space CentreScottish Association for Marine ScienceAlfred Wegener Institute (AWI)Arctic and Alpine Research Group
Choose a language
 Til hele historien
 
 
 
   Copyright 2000 - 2011 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.