A new satellite mission is set to map Earth's rapidly vanishing ice reserves
The European Space Agency is launching the CRISTAL mission to monitor the accelerating loss of ice from glaciers and polar regions. This video highlights how advanced radar technology will provide unprecedented data on sea-ice thickness and snow depth to help us navigate a warming planet.
The Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter, or CRISTAL, represents a major expansion of the existing Copernicus Space Component. By utilizing a dual-frequency radar altimeter and a microwave radiometer, the mission will capture precise measurements of ice-sheet elevations and the depth of snow covering sea ice. These observations are essential for tracking the global cryosphere and managing maritime activities in polar waters.
Project manager Kristof Gantois and mission scientist Paolo Cipollini discuss the mission's role in gathering data on ocean topography and inland water systems. As one of six new Sentinel Expansion missions developed for the European Union, CRISTAL aims to improve our predictive models for environmental shifts in the world's most remote and rugged areas.
