Orbital ICESat-2 User Manual
LEO
Earth Science/
Remote Sensing
ICESat-2
Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Mission Description
ICESat-2 is a continuation of the global time series of precision ice topography measurements initiated
by the rst ICESat mission and extended in selected areas by the IceBridge campaigns, a series of
ongoing surveys of selected polar areas using aircraft-borne instruments. The rst ICESat, on orbit from
2003 to 2010, provided invaluable data needed to assess ice sheet mass balance, sea ice thickness
and to estimate biomass.
ICESat-2 uses improved precision laser-ranging techniques to measure the topography of the
Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and the thickness of sea ice. The mission was recommended by
the National Research Council in its 2007 decadal survey of NASA Earth science research priorities.
ICESat-2 supports NASA's Earth science program by helping scientists develop a better scientic
understanding of the Earth system and its response to natural or human-induced changes.
Spacecraft
Orbital is responsible for the design and manufacture of the ICESat-2 spacecraft, as well as payload
integration and system test of the completed observatory. The spacecraft design is derived from
Orbital's proven LEOStar-3™ bus used for NASA's Landsat 8, the GeoEye-1 Earth imaging satellite, and
NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope.
• Managed by NASA’s Goddard Space
Flight Center
• Launching in 2017, ICESat-2
continues the time series of precision
ice topography measurements made
by the rst ICESat from 2003 to 2010
• The second generation ICESat
orbiting laser altimeter provides
precise measurements of ice-sheets,
sea-ice, and vegetation
• Scientists use ICESat-2 data to
accurately project just how rapidly ice
sheets will melt as temperatures rise
to enable policy makers to prepare
vulnerable coastal populations for
rising sea levels
• ICESat-2 uses a micro-pulse multi-
beam approach providing dense
cross-track sampling to improve
elevation estimates over areas with
high-slopes and rough terrain
• The ICESat-2 spacecraft builds on
Orbital's LEOStar-3 design used on
NASA's Landsat 8
The ICESat-2 spacecraft is being designed,
assembled, and tested at Orbital's 135,000
square foot satellite manufacturing and test
facility in Gilbert, Arizona.
Customer:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
ICESat-2
Specications
Spacecraft
Launch Mass: 1,387 kg
Solar Arrays: Single wing with xed and articulating mode (see
illustration below), 3818 W EOL
Stabilization: 3-axis, zero momentum bias, nadir pointing
Pointing Control: 13.3 arcsec (3s)
Data Storage: 704 Gbits EOL
Data Downlink: X-band, 220 Mbps
Propulsion: Blowdown hydrazine, four 22 N thrusters and eight
4.5 N thrusters, 158 kg tank capacity
Mission Life: 3 years; 7 years propellant
Orbit: 481 km @ 92
Orbit Determination: High precision GPS and laser ranging
Current Status: In development
Launch
Launch Vehicle: Delta II
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Date: 1Q 2017
ATLAS
Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) Multi-Beam Visible
Photon-Counting Altimeter. Manufactured by NASA/GSFC.
°
inclination (91 day repeat cycle)
Mission Partners
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Procuring agency and customer program management,
system integration, ATLAS instrument development and
manufacture
Orbital Sciences Corporation
Spacecraft prime contractor and integrator responsible
for spacecraft design and manufacture, instrument
integration, and observatory test; launch vehicle integration
support; launch support; and mission operations control
center
Fibertek, Incorporated
Design, develop, fabricate, test and deliver lasers for the
Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System instrument
Airplane Mode (Articulating Array) Sailboat Mode (Fixed Array)
Articulating Array
Fixed Array
Velocity
Nadir
The single-wing solar array has two operating modes.
Velocity
Nadir
Orbital Sciences Corporation
45101 Warp Drive
©2014 Orbital Sciences Corporation FS009_11_2998
•
Dulles, Virginia 20166
•
www.orbital.com
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