Cryosat-2
Artist's impression of CryoSat in orbit
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| Mission type | Earth observation | ||||||||
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| Operator | ESA | ||||||||
| COSPAR ID | 2010-013A | ||||||||
| SATCAT no. | 36508 | ||||||||
| Website | www |
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| Mission duration | 3 years (planned) Elapsed: 7 years, 26 days |
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| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||
| Manufacturer | EADS Astrium | ||||||||
| Launch mass | 720 kilograms (1,590 lb) | ||||||||
| Dry mass | 684 kilograms (1,508 lb) | ||||||||
| Dimensions | 4.6 by 2.3 metres (15.1 ft × 7.5 ft) | ||||||||
| Power | 850 watts | ||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||
| Launch date | 8 April 2010, 13:57:04 UTC | ||||||||
| Rocket | Dnepr | ||||||||
| Launch site | Baikonur 109/95 | ||||||||
| Contractor | ISC Kosmotras | ||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||
| Reference system | Geocentric | ||||||||
| Regime | Low Earth | ||||||||
| Perigee | 718 kilometres (446 mi) | ||||||||
| Apogee | 732 kilometres (455 mi) | ||||||||
| Inclination | 92.03 degrees | ||||||||
| Period | 99.16 minutes | ||||||||
| Epoch | 24 January 2015, 20:44:24 UTC | ||||||||
| Transponders | |||||||||
| Band |
S Band (TT&C support) X Band (science data acquisition) |
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| Bandwidth | 8kbit/s download (S Band) 100Mbit/s download (X Band) 2kbit/s upload (S Band) |
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| Instruments | |
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| DORIS | Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integration by Satellite |
| LRR | Laser Retroreflector |
| SIRAL | SAR Interferometer Radar Altimeter |
ESA Earth insignia for the CryoSat-2 mission
CryoSat-2 is a European Space Agency environmental research satellite which was launched in April 2010. It provides scientists with data about the polar ice caps and tracks changes in the thickness of the ice with a resolution of about 1.3 centimetres (1⁄2 in).
CryoSat-2 was built as a replacement for CryoSat-1, whose Rokot carrier rocket was unable to achieve orbit, resulting in the loss of the satellite. Compared to its predecessor, CryoSat-2 features software upgrades, greater battery capacity and an updated instrument package. Its main instrument is an interferometric radar range-finder with twin antennas, which measures the height difference between the upper surface of floating ice and surrounding water. This is often known as 'free-board'.
CryoSat-2 is operated as part of the CryoSat programme to study the Earth's polar ice caps, which is itself part of the Living Planet programme. The CryoSat-2 spacecraft was constructed by EADS Astrium, and was launched by ISC Kosmotras, using a Dnepr carrier rocket, on 8 April 2010. On 22 October 2010, CryoSat-2 was declared operational following six months of on-orbit testing.
The initial proposal for the CryoSat programme was submitted as part of a call for proposals in July 1998 for Earth Explorer missions as part of the European Space Agency's Living Planet programme. It was selected for further studies in 1999, and following completion of a feasibility study the mission was authorised. The construction phase began in 2001, and in 2002 EADS Astrium was awarded a contract to build the spacecraft. A contract was also signed with Eurockot, to conduct the launch of the satellite using a Rokot/Briz-KM carrier rocket.
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