WMO OSCAR | Satellite: CRISTAL-B

Satellite: CRISTAL-B

Satellite details

Acronym	CRISTAL-B
Full name	Copernicus polaR Ice and Snow Topography ALtimeter-B
WIGOS Station Identifier	---
Satellite Description	Second of the high-priority Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions for the cryosphere. 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	Planned
Details on Status (as available)
Launch	≥2031	EOL	≥2036
Last update:	2023-11-15

Associated satellite programme and related satellites

Note: red tag: no longer operational , green tag: operational , blue tag : future

Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions
- CHIME-A (2029 - 2034)
- CHIME-B (2031 - 2037)
- CIMR-A (2029 - 2036)
- CIMR-B (2031 - 2036)
- CO2M-A (2026 - 2033)
- CO2M-B (2027 - 2034)
- CO2M-C (2029 - 2036)
- CRISTAL-A (2028 - 2034)
- CRISTAL-B (2031 - 2036)
- LSTM-A (2029 - 2034)
- LSTM-B (2031 - 2038)
- ROSE-L A (2030 - 2035)
- ROSE-L B (2032 - 2037)

Satellite Payload

All known Instruments flying on CRISTAL-B

Acronym	Full name
IRIS	Interferometric Radar altimeter for Ice and Snow
AMR-CR	Advanced Microwave Radiometer - CR
LRR	Laser Retro-Reflector
GPS	GPS Receiver
HRMR	High Resolution Microwave Radiometer

Satellite payload

All known instruments flying on CRISTAL-B

Instrument	Full name	Start date	EOL date	Status
IRIS	Interferometric Radar altimeter for Ice and Snow	≥2031 *	≥2036 *	N/A
AMR-CR	Advanced Microwave Radiometer - CR	≥2031 *	≥2036 *	N/A
LRR	Laser Retro-Reflector	≥2031 *	≥2036 *	N/A
GPS	GPS Receiver	≥2031 *	≥2036 *	N/A
HRMR	High Resolution Microwave Radiometer	≥2031 *	≥2036 *	N/A

* The information in this field is estimated or assumed

Satellite frequencies for Earth Observation, data transfer and platform communications and control

Earth observation MW frequencies

Service	Sensing mode	Frequency (GHz)	Bandwidth (MHz)	Polarisation	Comments
IRIS (CRISTAL)	active	13.5 GHz	500 MHz	linear	Altimeter band
IRIS (CRISTAL)	active	35.75 GHz	500 MHz	linear	Altimeter band
AMR-CR	passive	18.7 GHz	200 MHz	linear
AMR-CR	passive	23.8 GHz	400 MHz	linear
AMR-CR	passive	34 GHz	700 MHz	linear
HRMR	passive	90 GHz	5000 MHz	linear	High frequency window channel
HRMR	passive	130 GHz	5000 MHz	linear	High frequency window channel
HRMR	passive	168 GHz	5000 MHz	linear	High frequency water vapour channel