missions

CryoSat-2

CryoSat-2 is ESA's dedicated ice mission, launched on 8 April 2010 from Baikonur by a Dnepr rocket into a 717 km, 92-degree non-sun-synchronous orbit optimised for polar coverage.^[1] Its primary instrument, SIRAL (SAR Interferometric Radar Altimeter), measures surface elevation over ice sheets and sea ice using Ku-band pulse-limited and SAR/interferometric radar altimetry modes.^[2] The mission quantifies mass balance of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and derives sea-ice freeboard and thickness across the Arctic and Southern Ocean.^[1] A secondary objective covers ocean mesoscale circulation in areas not reached by sun-synchronous altimeters.^[3] CryoSat-2 entered an extended operational phase after its original design life and as of 2026 has accumulated 16 years of continuous polar altimetry data.^[1]

Supply chain position

carries instrument SAR Interferometer Radar Altimeter (SIRAL)

operated by European Space Agency

launched on Dnepr

related to Glacier and ice-sheet mass

related to Sea ice

related to Sea level and ocean dynamics

Radar altimetry - sea surface height and inland water levels → demonstrated SAR Interferometer Radar Altimeter (SIRAL)

Sources

[1]CryoSat-2 operations, ESAagency doc2026-06-14
[2]WMO OSCAR satellite record: CryoSat-2agency doc2026-06-14
[3]CryoSat-2 project page, CNESagency doc2026-06-14

Cite https://eo-atlas.org/missions/cryosat-2 Markdown twin → Field definitions → Suggest a correction →

How to cite this page

Plain text

CryoSat-2. EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/missions/cryosat-2 (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:missions:cryosat-2,
  title = {CryoSat-2},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/missions/cryosat-2}
}