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- CryoSat is a three-year radar altimetry mission, scheduled for launch in 2004, to determine variations in the thickness of the Earth's continental ice sheets and marine ice cover. Its primary objective is to test the prediction of thinning arctic ice due to global warming. Its aim is to study possible climate variability and trends by determining the variations in thickness of the Earth's continental ice sheets and marine sea ice cover. This is the first satellite of ESA's Living Planet Programme to be realized in the framework of the Earth Explorer Opportunity Missions. Mission elements 1. Radar Altimetry Mission with different novel observation techniques 2. Synthetic Aperture Processing along-track to increase resolution 3. Interferometric Observations across-track with second antenna for steeper terrain slopes 4. Observation of elevation changes over ice sheets, glaciers and ice caps 5. Estimation of freeboard elevation of floating sea ice 6. Anticipated Launch: 2004 7. High inclination orbit to cover polar regions Additional information available at http://www.esa.int/export/esaLP/cryosat.html
[Summary provided by ESA]
Group: Platform_Details Entry_ID: CRYOSAT Group: Platform_Identification Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites Short_Name: CRYOSAT End_Group Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names Short_Name: CRYOSAT End_Group Group: Platform_Associated_Instruments Short_Name: RADAR ALTIMETERS End_Group Creation_Date: 2007-09-26 Online_Resource: http://www.esa.int/export/esaLP/cryosat.html Group: Platform_Logistics Primary_Sponsor: ESA End_Group End_Group
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