ICESat MissionICESat Mission

By Berhan AmareBy Berhan Amare

Period: 5Period: 5

Date: Nov. 28, 2006Date: Nov. 28, 2006

Owner (who built it) information is Owner (who built it) information is complete complete

James Watzin James Watzin NASA ‘s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) NASA ‘s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE)

has developed the ICESat mission to has developed the ICESat mission to provide answer to these – how to provide answer to these – how to protect our planet also understand.protect our planet also understand.

ICESat Mission’s part of ESE ICESat Mission’s part of ESE

ice sheet elevationsice sheet elevations changes in elevation through time, changes in elevation through time, height profilesheight profiles

clouds and aerosols, land elevations and clouds and aerosols, land elevations and vegetation cover, and approximate sea ice vegetation cover, and approximate sea ice thickness. thickness.

What does this satellite's orbit look What does this satellite's orbit look like? like?

ground track will process to the West as the Earth ground track will process to the West as the Earth rotatesrotates

Altitude: 600 km circular Altitude: 600 km circular Inclination: 94 +0/- 0.5 degrees Inclination: 94 +0/- 0.5 degrees

Period: 96.7 minutes Period: 96.7 minutes Repeat Cycle: 183 days Repeat Cycle: 183 days

Non-Sun-SynchronousNon-Sun-Synchronous Designs to operate 3 to 5 years Designs to operate 3 to 5 years

Goals of the Mission?Goals of the Mission?

Need to know what percentage of clouds Need to know what percentage of clouds cover the earth every day in order to make cover the earth every day in order to make their computer climate models and their computer climate models and weather forecast models work better. weather forecast models work better.

Need to know what measure of height Need to know what measure of height distribution of moisture and pollutants in distribution of moisture and pollutants in atmosphere. atmosphere.

http://http://icesat.gsfc.nasa.govicesat.gsfc.nasa.gov//

http://www.eijournal.com/3_IceSat.asp