Jacques van Oene
October 8th 05, 05:41 PM
CryoSat - Set for launch
Amsterdam, 05 October 2005
Cryosat, the first satellite designed to measure polar sea ice, is ready for
launch. Developed and built by EADS Astrium for the European Space Agency
(ESA), the satellite is due to be launched on 8 October from the Plesetsk
cosmodrome by a Eurockot Rockot launch vehicle. Eurockot is a subsidiary of
EADS.
Cryosat is the latest European satellite designed to measure climate change
and the environment. Operating from a polar orbit, Cryosat will measure the
variations in the thickness of the polar ice caps and floating sea ice with
unprecedented accuracy. The satellite will also provide climate change
scientists with new data on previously inaccessible regions.
CryoSat will enable us to determine whether, and to what extent global
warming is causing a reduction in polar ice. Of special interest are the
floating ice masses which greatly affect the radiation balance of the Earth
as well as the ridges of the great land ice masses on Greenland and
Antarctica. If these ridges melt, the runoff can influence the great ocean
currents with unforeseen consequences for the climate of the world.
Data on global warming is increasingly available. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (an international board of climate experts) reports
that the average global surface temperature rose by 0.6 degrees in the 20th
century. Data also indicates that the 20th century was the warmest in the
last thousand years. Since 1950 the concentration in the atmosphere of the
greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane, has grown by 30 and 150 percent
respectively as a result of human activities.
Current climate models offer only limited information on how these
developments affect the climate. The predictions vary between a rise in
temperatures of 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Centigrade in the next hundred years. As
a consequence, experts expect some polar ice and glaciers to melt leading to
sea levels rising by up to one metre.
Polar ice as a climate factorPolar ice plays a key role in regulating the
global climate. Despite being thousands of kilometres away from the most
inhabited areas, the ice has a profound effect on the climate in Europe,
Asia and the Americas. Three aspects are most important:
Snow and ice reflect sunlight extremely well
Sea-ice cover insulates the water underneath
Large amounts of melted ice-water affect the large-scale ocean currents.
Polar ice reflects a large proportion of the sunlight and the absorbed and
reflected light balance each other out. As polar ice melts, less sunlight is
reflected leading to the polar regions becoming warmer. Consequently, more
ice melts and the reflective capabilities are further reduced. Some experts
predict this could result in a self-accelerating cycle of global warming.
During the night, open water radiates a large quantity of heat, about 90
Watts per square metre. Snow covered sea-ice floating on the ocean surface
has a negative effect on this. To a certain extent, it acts as a thermal
blanket and therefore plays a significant part in regulating the heat
balance of the Earth. This effect is reduced as soon as the ice thins or
decreases in area.
Ocean currents have a special influence on the climate. They act as heat
pumps, distributing the energy stored in the oceans around the globe. The
best known is the Gulf Stream, which transports warm water from the tropics
diagonally over the Atlantic to northern Europe, providing Britain with a
mild climate and ensuring ice-free ports up to northern Scandinavia. If the
ice sheets and large areas of sea-ice melt, the larger quantities of fresh
water could disrupt or even change these ocean currents - with unforeseeable
effects on the climate.
Much of the uncertainty in the climate models today is due to a lack of
precise information about polar ice and its development. Experts estimate
that the sea ice has receded by 10 to 15 percent since 1950. The thickness
of the Arctic ice is reported to have reduced by 40 percent in the last few
decades. These statements, however, are largely speculative due to the lack
of accurate information on sea-ice thickness. CryoSat will provide this data
and fill an important information gap.
Radar altimeter measures ice thicknessCryoSat will circle the Earth in a
polar orbit at an altitude of 720 km. Its radar will measure the thickness
and circumference of the polar ice sheets and sea-ice cover. Earlier radar
satellites, such as the European ERS 1 and 2 or Envisat, are only equipped
with a single antenna which enables them to gather information about uniform
ice surfaces over a large area. CryoSat, on the other hand, has two
antennas. Similar to the way in which humans, with two eyes, can see in 3-D,
CryoSat's double radar Siral will be able to scan the surface very
precisely. Experts call this radar interferometry and an average accuracy of
one to three centimetres is possible. It will also collect data on
inhomogeneous ice structures with very steep walls in the polar seas,
glaciers or ice sheets.
To achieve this extraordinary precision, knowing the orbit altitude of the
satellite is crucial. To achieve this to within a few centimetres, ground
stations emit signals, which are received and processed by an on-board
instrument called DORIS. The altitude information produced is then conveyed
via the normal data stream to the ground station.
CryoSat's outer surface also incorporates a laser retro-reflector. Similar
to cats' eyes on a road, it reflects a ray of light. A laser beam
transmitted from a ground station and reflected by CryoSat will enable the
height of the satellite to be determined from the transit time.
CryoSat's radar altimeter works day or night and can also penetrate clouds.
Therefore, it is particularly suited to the research of the large polar ice
sheets, which rise up to 4000 metres above sea level and which are often
covered by clouds. The data from the CryoSat mission will provide
information about the rate of change of these huge ice sheets.
EADS Astrium and CryoSatEADS Astrium, as the prime contractor for CryoSat,
is responsible for a consortium of 31 companies. EADS Astrium
(Friedrichshafen) has built the satellite platform and integrated all
instruments. EADS Astrium is responsible for the reliability of the entire
satellite. The industrial contract is valued at approximately ?70 million.
The 4.6m long, 2.34m wide CryoSat continues the present, dominant trend of
smaller and more economical satellite missions with narrowly defined
scientific goals. With the CryoSat mission EADS Astrium, strengthens its
leading position in this market, which the company took over with the
construction of the geo-scientific satellites Champ and Grace.
A particular challenge for EADS Astrium engineers was the apparently
contradictory requirements of high reliability, quick turn-around and low
cost. In order to meet these demands, EADS Astrium developed a compact
satellite architecture which was as simple as possible. For example, folding
mechanisms such as retractable antennas or sun sails have not been used -
eliminating the need for expensive electronic controls. In building CryoSat,
components were used which as much as possible had already been used in
space.
The so-called Nadir-Plate forms the "backbone" of CryoSat. Almost all the
most important sub-systems like temperature and energy control and storage,
data management, communications electronics and instrument and sensor
electronics are located on it. The "nose" of the satellite is modularly
coupled. Here is the main instrument, Siral. The compact and streamlined
design ensures that forces including friction from the residual atmosphere
and the influence of the sun affect the satellite in orbit as little as
possible.
Attitude control of the satellite is achieved using 3 magnetic coils and 16
cold gas thrusters. Solar cells located on the upper side of the satellite
provide electricity. In addition the satellite's battery supplies
electricity during the shadow phase behind the Earth and when the solar
generator is poorly illuminated. The lithiumion battery is assembled from
commercially available battery cells. These batteries are similar to those
which were used on board the Rosetta space probe built by EADS Astrium.
The satellite is the first Earth Explorer Mission of ESA's "Living Planet"
programme initiated in 1998. The aim of this research programme is to find
answers to urgent scientific questions. The "Living Planet" programme is
pursuing two strategies: First, the so-called Core Explorer Missions which
are relatively complex and cost-intensive Earth observation missions for
scientific purposes and second, the Opportunity Missions using established
technology enabling fast and low-cost project implementation.
EADS SPACE and the Earth ExplorerEADS SPACE is also involved in other
satellites of the Earth Explorer Missions currently under construction. EADS
Astrium in the UK is the prime contractor for the ADM-Aeolus wind mission,
with the Aladin instrument being developed by EADS Astrium in France. In
addition to the lead on the CryoSat ice satellite, EADS Astrium,
Friedrichshafen, is also responsible for the platform and the satellite
integration of GOCE, the surfer of the gravitational field. EADS Astrium in
Spain is developing and building the Miras payload of the SMOS mission for
the acquisition of data on soil moisture and ocean salinity.
The launch provider Eurockot (Bremen), a unit of EADS SPACE, will carry out
the launches of the satellites CryoSat, GOCE and SMOS on board its Rockot
launchers from Plesetsk.
EADS Astrium is Europe's leading satellite specialist. Its activities cover
complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation
systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and
equipment. EADS Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS SPACE, which is
dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2004, EADS SPACE
had a turnover of ?2.6 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the
United Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004,
EADS generated revenues of ?31.8 billion and employed a workforce of more
than 110,000.
CryoSat
Mass: 650 kg
Instruments: Radar altimeter (SIRAL)
Data receiver (DORIS)
Laser retro-reflector
Height resolution: 1 to 3 cm
Horizontal resolution: approx. 300 m
Total finance value: approx. 140 million euros
of which industrial contract: approx. 70 million euros
Mission duration: at least 3 years
Orbit: 720 km altitude,
92 degrees inclination
Planned launch date: October 8th, 2005
Contacts for the Media:
Rémi ROLAND EADS SPACE (FR)
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34
Jeremy CLOSE EADS SPACE (UK)
Tel.: +44 (0) 1 438 77 3872
Mathias PIKELJ EADS SPACE (GER)
Tel.: +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
--
--------------------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
Amsterdam, 05 October 2005
Cryosat, the first satellite designed to measure polar sea ice, is ready for
launch. Developed and built by EADS Astrium for the European Space Agency
(ESA), the satellite is due to be launched on 8 October from the Plesetsk
cosmodrome by a Eurockot Rockot launch vehicle. Eurockot is a subsidiary of
EADS.
Cryosat is the latest European satellite designed to measure climate change
and the environment. Operating from a polar orbit, Cryosat will measure the
variations in the thickness of the polar ice caps and floating sea ice with
unprecedented accuracy. The satellite will also provide climate change
scientists with new data on previously inaccessible regions.
CryoSat will enable us to determine whether, and to what extent global
warming is causing a reduction in polar ice. Of special interest are the
floating ice masses which greatly affect the radiation balance of the Earth
as well as the ridges of the great land ice masses on Greenland and
Antarctica. If these ridges melt, the runoff can influence the great ocean
currents with unforeseen consequences for the climate of the world.
Data on global warming is increasingly available. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (an international board of climate experts) reports
that the average global surface temperature rose by 0.6 degrees in the 20th
century. Data also indicates that the 20th century was the warmest in the
last thousand years. Since 1950 the concentration in the atmosphere of the
greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane, has grown by 30 and 150 percent
respectively as a result of human activities.
Current climate models offer only limited information on how these
developments affect the climate. The predictions vary between a rise in
temperatures of 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Centigrade in the next hundred years. As
a consequence, experts expect some polar ice and glaciers to melt leading to
sea levels rising by up to one metre.
Polar ice as a climate factorPolar ice plays a key role in regulating the
global climate. Despite being thousands of kilometres away from the most
inhabited areas, the ice has a profound effect on the climate in Europe,
Asia and the Americas. Three aspects are most important:
Snow and ice reflect sunlight extremely well
Sea-ice cover insulates the water underneath
Large amounts of melted ice-water affect the large-scale ocean currents.
Polar ice reflects a large proportion of the sunlight and the absorbed and
reflected light balance each other out. As polar ice melts, less sunlight is
reflected leading to the polar regions becoming warmer. Consequently, more
ice melts and the reflective capabilities are further reduced. Some experts
predict this could result in a self-accelerating cycle of global warming.
During the night, open water radiates a large quantity of heat, about 90
Watts per square metre. Snow covered sea-ice floating on the ocean surface
has a negative effect on this. To a certain extent, it acts as a thermal
blanket and therefore plays a significant part in regulating the heat
balance of the Earth. This effect is reduced as soon as the ice thins or
decreases in area.
Ocean currents have a special influence on the climate. They act as heat
pumps, distributing the energy stored in the oceans around the globe. The
best known is the Gulf Stream, which transports warm water from the tropics
diagonally over the Atlantic to northern Europe, providing Britain with a
mild climate and ensuring ice-free ports up to northern Scandinavia. If the
ice sheets and large areas of sea-ice melt, the larger quantities of fresh
water could disrupt or even change these ocean currents - with unforeseeable
effects on the climate.
Much of the uncertainty in the climate models today is due to a lack of
precise information about polar ice and its development. Experts estimate
that the sea ice has receded by 10 to 15 percent since 1950. The thickness
of the Arctic ice is reported to have reduced by 40 percent in the last few
decades. These statements, however, are largely speculative due to the lack
of accurate information on sea-ice thickness. CryoSat will provide this data
and fill an important information gap.
Radar altimeter measures ice thicknessCryoSat will circle the Earth in a
polar orbit at an altitude of 720 km. Its radar will measure the thickness
and circumference of the polar ice sheets and sea-ice cover. Earlier radar
satellites, such as the European ERS 1 and 2 or Envisat, are only equipped
with a single antenna which enables them to gather information about uniform
ice surfaces over a large area. CryoSat, on the other hand, has two
antennas. Similar to the way in which humans, with two eyes, can see in 3-D,
CryoSat's double radar Siral will be able to scan the surface very
precisely. Experts call this radar interferometry and an average accuracy of
one to three centimetres is possible. It will also collect data on
inhomogeneous ice structures with very steep walls in the polar seas,
glaciers or ice sheets.
To achieve this extraordinary precision, knowing the orbit altitude of the
satellite is crucial. To achieve this to within a few centimetres, ground
stations emit signals, which are received and processed by an on-board
instrument called DORIS. The altitude information produced is then conveyed
via the normal data stream to the ground station.
CryoSat's outer surface also incorporates a laser retro-reflector. Similar
to cats' eyes on a road, it reflects a ray of light. A laser beam
transmitted from a ground station and reflected by CryoSat will enable the
height of the satellite to be determined from the transit time.
CryoSat's radar altimeter works day or night and can also penetrate clouds.
Therefore, it is particularly suited to the research of the large polar ice
sheets, which rise up to 4000 metres above sea level and which are often
covered by clouds. The data from the CryoSat mission will provide
information about the rate of change of these huge ice sheets.
EADS Astrium and CryoSatEADS Astrium, as the prime contractor for CryoSat,
is responsible for a consortium of 31 companies. EADS Astrium
(Friedrichshafen) has built the satellite platform and integrated all
instruments. EADS Astrium is responsible for the reliability of the entire
satellite. The industrial contract is valued at approximately ?70 million.
The 4.6m long, 2.34m wide CryoSat continues the present, dominant trend of
smaller and more economical satellite missions with narrowly defined
scientific goals. With the CryoSat mission EADS Astrium, strengthens its
leading position in this market, which the company took over with the
construction of the geo-scientific satellites Champ and Grace.
A particular challenge for EADS Astrium engineers was the apparently
contradictory requirements of high reliability, quick turn-around and low
cost. In order to meet these demands, EADS Astrium developed a compact
satellite architecture which was as simple as possible. For example, folding
mechanisms such as retractable antennas or sun sails have not been used -
eliminating the need for expensive electronic controls. In building CryoSat,
components were used which as much as possible had already been used in
space.
The so-called Nadir-Plate forms the "backbone" of CryoSat. Almost all the
most important sub-systems like temperature and energy control and storage,
data management, communications electronics and instrument and sensor
electronics are located on it. The "nose" of the satellite is modularly
coupled. Here is the main instrument, Siral. The compact and streamlined
design ensures that forces including friction from the residual atmosphere
and the influence of the sun affect the satellite in orbit as little as
possible.
Attitude control of the satellite is achieved using 3 magnetic coils and 16
cold gas thrusters. Solar cells located on the upper side of the satellite
provide electricity. In addition the satellite's battery supplies
electricity during the shadow phase behind the Earth and when the solar
generator is poorly illuminated. The lithiumion battery is assembled from
commercially available battery cells. These batteries are similar to those
which were used on board the Rosetta space probe built by EADS Astrium.
The satellite is the first Earth Explorer Mission of ESA's "Living Planet"
programme initiated in 1998. The aim of this research programme is to find
answers to urgent scientific questions. The "Living Planet" programme is
pursuing two strategies: First, the so-called Core Explorer Missions which
are relatively complex and cost-intensive Earth observation missions for
scientific purposes and second, the Opportunity Missions using established
technology enabling fast and low-cost project implementation.
EADS SPACE and the Earth ExplorerEADS SPACE is also involved in other
satellites of the Earth Explorer Missions currently under construction. EADS
Astrium in the UK is the prime contractor for the ADM-Aeolus wind mission,
with the Aladin instrument being developed by EADS Astrium in France. In
addition to the lead on the CryoSat ice satellite, EADS Astrium,
Friedrichshafen, is also responsible for the platform and the satellite
integration of GOCE, the surfer of the gravitational field. EADS Astrium in
Spain is developing and building the Miras payload of the SMOS mission for
the acquisition of data on soil moisture and ocean salinity.
The launch provider Eurockot (Bremen), a unit of EADS SPACE, will carry out
the launches of the satellites CryoSat, GOCE and SMOS on board its Rockot
launchers from Plesetsk.
EADS Astrium is Europe's leading satellite specialist. Its activities cover
complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation
systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and
equipment. EADS Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS SPACE, which is
dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2004, EADS SPACE
had a turnover of ?2.6 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the
United Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004,
EADS generated revenues of ?31.8 billion and employed a workforce of more
than 110,000.
CryoSat
Mass: 650 kg
Instruments: Radar altimeter (SIRAL)
Data receiver (DORIS)
Laser retro-reflector
Height resolution: 1 to 3 cm
Horizontal resolution: approx. 300 m
Total finance value: approx. 140 million euros
of which industrial contract: approx. 70 million euros
Mission duration: at least 3 years
Orbit: 720 km altitude,
92 degrees inclination
Planned launch date: October 8th, 2005
Contacts for the Media:
Rémi ROLAND EADS SPACE (FR)
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34
Jeremy CLOSE EADS SPACE (UK)
Tel.: +44 (0) 1 438 77 3872
Mathias PIKELJ EADS SPACE (GER)
Tel.: +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
--
--------------------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info