In 1912, the ""Titanic"" hit an iceberg and sank. Since this time, monitoring ice has been regarded as very important- and extremely difficult. This programme demonstrates the ice-monitoring capabilities of ERS-1, following the voyage of ""L'Astrolabe"" through the North-East Passage across the top of Russia. Various shots of nuclear-powered icebreaking vessel and Astrolab, coastal scenery, wildlife etc.

begin
00:07:10:00 heli tra s over water, pan r to river flowing to horizon; flat green slightly rolling land; pan down to ws ship in water
00:07:29:00 ws looking across water to coastline, the 'Astrolabe-fish' ship moves l to r
00:07:59:00 heli tra s over water, coastline to r
00:08:05:00 heli tra s running deer
00:08:11:00 oss
00:08:25:00 heli tra s over bumpy ice, pan up to ws Astrolabe moves r to l through water and ice
00:08:36:00 heli tra s alongside ship
00:08:41:00 ws through ship window at floating ice on water, pan r to follow movement of other ship, pan r to side view cs men on bridge
00:09:21:00 heli tra s 2 ships, one in front breaks ice
00:09:32:00 tra s looking out from bridge at far end of ship, ice and water
00:09:43:00 ws out over starboard at ice in water, pan down to cu ice breaking under ship
00:10:09:00 ws looking over front of ship, more ice, pan r
00:10:26:00 tra s funnel of first ship, bearing hammer and sickle and 'the astrolab'; pan r to third ship, moves r to l
00:10:4