31.05.2022
Airbus-built Copernicus satellite successfully passes Preliminary Design Review
CRISTAL will measure sea ice thickness and ice sheet elevations
Friedrichshafen, 24 May 2022 - The Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimetry mission CRISTAL is clearly on track. Following an intensive review process the European Space Agency ESA has confirmed that the preliminary design of the satellite meets all system requirements.
CRISTAL will carry an advanced multi-frequency altimeter that will measure sea ice thickness and ice sheet elevations - key climate change indicators. The CRISTAL altimeter will for the first time measure snow coverage of the ice sheets which will improve data quality significantly compared to its predecessor CryoSat-2. These data will support maritime operations in polar oceans and contribute to a better understanding of climate processes.
The Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was organised using a new more collaborative format. As a first step an extensive review by over 60 ESA engineers of a comprehensive data package, established by more than 100 engineers led by Airbus took place over four weeks. In a second step the major findings were intensively discussed in an interactive way between senior level experts both on ESA and Industry side up to the successful completion of the review.
CRISTAL will also support applications related to coastal and inland waters and the observation of ocean topography. The mission will ensure the long-term continuation of radar altimetry ice elevation and topographic change records, following on from previous missions such as ESA’s Earth Explorer CryoSat, also developed by Airbus and working flawlessly for 12 years, well beyond its design lifetime. Monitoring the cryosphere is essential to fully assess, predict and adapt to climate variability and change.
The 1.7 ton spacecraft is based on a proven, robust Airbus satellite design building on the heritage from Sentinel-6 and CryoSat. Six fixed and two deployable solar arrays - 18.6 m² in total - ensure enough power on CRISTAL´s drifting polar orbit at 699 km above the Earth. Its on-board memory will be able to store up to 4 terabits of science data at once, providing scientists with a wealth of information during its 7.5 year lifetime.
The Airbus Defence and Space site in Friedrichshafen (Germany) is heading an industrial consortium involving companies from 19 countries to deliver the project, including Thales Alenia Space to provide the IRIS Interferometric Radar Altimeter. Following the successful PDR the CRISTAL project is now on track for the Critical Design Review (CDR) scheduled for May 2024. The satellite platform and instrument will then be integrated and tested in the new, highly digitalised integration centre at Airbus in Friedrichshafen. CRISTAL is currently scheduled for launch from the European spaceport in Kourou in 2027.
Quelle: AIRBUS
----
Update: 27.10.2026
.
Ice mission CRISTAL opens its wings
With its solar arrays integrated and key qualification reviews under way, Europe’s new ice-monitoring satellite, CRISTAL, is moving from assembly into the demanding testing phase that will demonstrate its readiness for the rigours of launch and life in orbit.
In September, engineers at Airbus’ facilities in Friedrichshafen in Germany finished assembling the satellite, marking a major milestone on its journey towards launch. The team then moved on to a new phase of testing, putting the satellite’s systems through their paces. A key highlight was the first solar panel deployment test.
This crucial test verifies that the mechanisms and software sequences work together as planned, ensuring CRISTAL’s solar wings can be successfully deployed once the satellite reaches orbit. It’s another important step towards getting CRISTAL ready for its mission in space.
Conducted in collaboration with launch service provider AVIO, another key step involved checking that the satellite not only fits on its launch adapter – which is the component that secures the satellite to the rocket – but also that the release mechanism works so that the satellite will separate from the rocket and injected into orbit.
In parallel with these hands-on satellite activities, the project conducted its Intermediate Qualification Status Review. The review examined the qualification and verification status of the satellite’s equipment, instruments and subsystems ahead of the satellite-level qualification tests.
ESA’s CRISTAL Project Manager, Kristof Gantois, said, “Everything is progressing very well and the satellite passed these tests with flying colours, for which I would like to thank everyone involved. This marks an important step towards preparation for the next phase of testing.
“The satellite will be moved from Airbus in Friedrichshafen to the European Space Agency’s establishment in the Netherlands where it will spend most of next year going through stringent environmental tests to ensure that it will withstand liftoff and its life in the harsh environment of space.”
With launch targeted for late 2027 to early 2028, CRISTAL is set to become be the first Copernicus Sentinel Expansion mission to reach orbit. Short for Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter, CRISTAL carries the first dual-frequency radar altimeter along with a microwave radiometer that will measure and monitor changes in sea-ice thickness, overlying snow depth and ice-sheet elevation.
The CRISTAL mission will ensure the long-term continuation of radar altimetry ice elevation and topographic change records for the next two decades at least, following on from previous missions such as ESA’s Earth Explorer CryoSatresearch mission and other heritage missions.
CRISTAL-B is therefore planned to launch towards the end of CRISTAL-A’s operational lifetime. This approach will help sustain the mission’s observations and provide valuable data for understanding changes in the polar regions and their wider implications for our planet.
As operational mission, CRISTAL will deliver data to support maritime activities in the polar oceans, applications related to coastal and inland waters and the monitoring of ocean topography. By providing precise measurements ice – arguably the most vulnerable part the Earth system, the mission will also contribute to a better understanding of climate processes and their impacts.
With final assembly and deployment tests completed, CRISTAL is steadily progressing towards launch. The coming environmental test campaign at ESA will mark another major step towards delivering this important European capability for monitoring our changing Earth.
Quelle: ESA