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Satellite:
CRISTAL
Satellite details
Acronym
CRISTAL
Full name
Copernicus polaR Ice and Snow Topography ALtimeter
Satellite Description
One of the high-priority Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions.
Mission: to measure and monitor sea-ice thickness and overlying snow depth.
To operate in a constellation of (initially two) identical satellites, covering a period > 7 years.
For more details, see https://tinyurl.com/hnv7mpvk
Mass at launch
Dry mass
Power
Data access link
no link provided
Data access information
Orbit
Drifting orbit
Altitude
717 km
Inclination
92
°
Space agency
ESA
, EC , EUMETSAT
Status
Considered
Details on Status (as
available)
Funding to be confirmed by EU.
The Qualification Acceptance Review (QAR) is currently planned for Q2 2027.
Launch
≥2027
EOL
≥2034
Last update:
2022-03-28
Associated satellite programme and related satellites
Note: red tag: no longer operational , green tag: operational ,
blue tag : future
Satellite Payload
All known Instruments flying on
CRISTAL
Acronym
Full name
IRIS
Interferometric Radar altimeter for Ice and Snow
AMR-C
Advanced Microwave Radiometer - C
LRR
Laser Retro-Reflector
GPS
GPS Receiver
Show instrument status and calibration
Satellite payload
All known instruments flying on
CRISTAL
* The information in this field is estimated or assumed
Telecommunication frequency or microwave sensing channel information Show expert details
Service
Dir or Mode
Frequency
Emission designator
Bandwidth
Polarisation
D/A
Data rate or Baseband
Comments
IRIS (CRISTAL)
active
13500 - 13500 MHz
N/R kHz
-
A
Ku band altimeter
IRIS (CRISTAL)
active
35750 - 35750 MHz
N/R kHz
-
A
Altimeter
AMR-C
passive
18700 MHz
200000 kHz
A
Window channel
AMR-C
passive
23800 MHz
400000 kHz
A
Water vapour channel
AMR-C
passive
34000 MHz
700000 kHz
A
Window channel
AMR-C
passive
90000 - 90000 MHz
kHz
A
Window channel
AMR-C
passive
130000 - 130000 MHz
kHz
A
Window channel
AMR-C
passive
168000 - 168000 MHz
kHz
A
Water vapour channel