environmental research satellite launched april provides scientists data polar ice caps tracks changes thickness ice resolution centimetres built replacement carrier rocket unable achieve orbit compared predecessor features software upgrades greater battery capacity updated instrument package main instrument radar range twin measures height difference floating ice open water operated programme study earth polar ice caps programme spacecraft constructed launched carrier rocket april october declared operational following months orbit testing background initial proposal programme submitted proposals july missions living planet programme selected studies following completion feasibility study mission authorised construction phase began awarded contract build spacecraft contract signed conduct launch satellite carrier rocket construction original spacecraft completed august following testing spacecraft shipped august arrived september launch occurred site october missing command rocket flight control system second stage engine shut end planned burn instead stage burned prevented second stage separating result rocket failed achieve orbit spacecraft lost importance mission understanding global warming reductions polar ice caps replacement satellite proposed development authorised february months failure development like predecessor constructed main instrument built construction testing spacecraft primary instrument completed february shipped integration rest spacecraft august spacecraft ground infrastructure redesigned original mission declared ready use construction testing spacecraft completed mid september project manager mission systems manager original mission identical copy original spacecraft modifications including addition backup radar total improvements spacecraft rebuilt supporting measurements clear beginning programme extensive series measurements needed understand interaction radar waves surface ice caps relate measured floating sea ice thickness particular account snow loading sea ice moves blown wind necessary develop techniques consistent results measured platforms travelling different speed scientists surface helicopter towed aircraft borne radars number campaigns performed programme called aimed address identified areas uncertainty campaigns continued development original planned continue launch following announcement built programme extended experiments conducted antarctica determine snow affect readings provide data satellite january issued request proposals experiments experiments conducted followed final expedition greenland devon ice cap additional snow measurements provided airborne synthetic radar system instrument mounted aboard aircraft final preparations approved february launch planned march originally planned like predecessor launched lack available launches rocket selected instead contracted perform launch delays earlier missions range availability problems launch delayed february rocket assigned launch arrived train december january stages rocket loaded launch prepared transportation launch site january rolled site installed day saw stage transported installed atop rocket following completion construction placed storage await launch january spacecraft removed storage shipped launch departed aboard aircraft january arrived day following arrival launch site final assembly testing conducted final testing engineers detected spacecraft band bands communications antenna tiny fraction power thermal imaging showed antenna deep inside spacecraft hot clearly missing power dissipated normally inspected repaired major satellite required return facilities europe resulted major delay launch avoid local surgeon brought inspect component surgeon discovered pieces lodged tube able remove engineers able assist removal second determined come absorption load installed deep inside antenna intended improve performance remaining load removed inside base antenna order prevent debris falling february spacecraft launch february attached form unit known space head module transported launch pad means vehicle known installed atop carrier rocket occurred february day satellite activated order test systems following integration rocket launch spacecraft installed atop launch scheduled occur february utc prior practice countdown scheduled february hours practice scheduled begin announced launch delayed result practice place delay caused concern second stage engines sufficient quantity reserve fuel following delay removed rocket returned integration building february whilst integration building daily ensure spacecraft functioning normally fuel issue resolved launch rescheduled april launch operations resumed april returned atop following integrated tests practice countdown successfully conducted april launched utc april following successful launch separated upper stage low earth orbit signals satellite detected ground station space centre kenya seventeen minutes launch mission mission study earth polar ice caps measuring looking variation thickness ice mission identical original primary instruments aboard radar uses radar determine monitor spacecraft altitude order measure elevation ice unlike original instruments installed aboard serving backup case fails second instrument precisely spacecraft orbit array carried aboard spacecraft allow measurements ground verify data provided following launch placed low earth orbit kilometres kilometres degrees period minutes mass launch kilograms expected operate years launch early orbit phase operations completed morning april activated later day utc spacecraft returned scientific data initial data ice thickness presented mission lead investigator living planet july later month data available scientists time spacecraft underwent months orbit testing commissioning concluded review october found spacecraft operating expected ready begin operations exploitation phase mission started october responsibility currently mission manager results data shown come data interpreted
CryoSat-2