Interferogram of Scar Inlet Ice Shelf in 1995

This interferogram of the Scar Inlet Ice Shelf, the southern remnant of the former Larsen-B Ice Shelf, was produced during a tandem formation of ESA's ERS-1 and -2 satellites.

ESA’s first Earth observing satellites, ERS-1 and ERS-2, were launched in 1991 and 1995, respectively. At the time, these two satellites were Europe’s most sophisticated Earth observation satellites ever developed and launched.  

Shortly after ERS-2 had been placed in orbit, ESA manoeuvred the two ERS satellites into this novel orbital arrangement, allowing them to observe the same area of Earth just 24 hours apart. 

The tandem mission provided scientists with an unprecedented volume of closely spaced observations and a unique opportunity to track changes occurring over very short timescales. One of the highlights was the first proof of rapid acceleration of outlet glaciers after ice-shelf disintegration following the collapse of Larsen-A Ice Shelf, based on the ERS tandem set up in 1995 to 1999. 

Read full story: Satellites in tandem reveal 30 years of Antarctic ice flow