Airbus signs $350 million contract to build CRISTAL ice-monitoring satellite for EUby Andrew Parsonson — September 23, 2020
Europe's Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter mission (CRISTAL) will measure sea-ice thickness, overlying snow and the height of ice sheets and glaciers. Image credit: AirbusVALLETTA, Malta — The European Space Agency signed a 300-million-euro ($352 million) contract with Airbus Defence and Space on Sept. 21 to develop an ice-monitoring satellite for European Union’s Earth-observing Copernicus program.
The Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter mission, or CRISTAL, is one of two Earth-observing missions Airbus was awarded this summer as Europe expands the network of Sentinel satellites it began launching in 2014 to keep closer tabs on the environment.
Thales Alenia Space, which was chosen as prime contractor for three of the six new-generation Copernicus missions awarded in July, will build CRISTAL’s main instrument under an 88-million-euro subcontract to Airbus signed this week. (...)
https://spacenews.com/airbus-signs-350-million-contract-to-build-cristal-ice-monitoring-satellite-for-eu/