ESA - Living Planet Programme - CryoSat-2 - Workshop on Antarctic sea-ice highlights need for CryoSat-2 mission

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Workshop on Antarctic sea-ice highlights need for CryoSat-2 mission

9 August 2006

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Sea-ice in Antarctica. The penguin footprints show the overlying snow.

Credits: ESA

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Artist's impression of CryoSat in orbit.

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

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CryoSat measures the freeboard of floating sea ice.

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CryoSat is able to measure the freeboard (the height protruding above the water) of floating sea ice with its sensitive altimeter. From the freeboard, the ice thickness can be estimated.

Credits: ESA /AOES Medialab

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Participants at the International Workshop on Antarctic Sea-Ice Thickness. The workshop was held on 5-7 July 2006 in Hobart, Tasmania, Austrialia. The workshop provided the forum for members of the Antarctic sea-ice community who have an active interest in measuring sea ice and snow-cover thickness, or use sea-ice thickness data. The workshop covered all disciplines of field science, remote sensing and modelling.

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Aurora Australis used for research into sea-ice thickness

In depth

Living Planet Programme Earth Explorers CryoSat-2 Campaigns