The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Carrying a dual-frequency radar altimeter and a microwave radiometer, the Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter, CRISTAL, mission, monitors sea-ice thickness and the depth of the overlying snow. It also measures changes in the height of ice sheets and glaciers around the world. Since ice in its various forms is particularly sensitive to climate change, data from this mission are crucial for understanding and quantifying climate processes.
The mission also supports maritime operations and safety in the changing polar seas, oceanography and sea-level studies, and the monitoring of rivers and lakes worldwide.