ESA's CryoSat: Exploring Life Beyond the Leak

ESA's CryoSat satellite, which measures the thickness of polar sea ice and monitors changes in ice sheets, has successfully switched to its back-up propulsion system after a fuel leak threatened to end the mission in 2025. The swap has the potential to extend the satellite's life by 5 to 10 years. CryoSat's back-up thrusters had never been used before, so there was a small chance the mission could have ended immediately if they were damaged. The satellite's primary thrusters were using up fuel faster than expected since 2016 due to a leak, and the switch to the back-up system was carefully timed to balance the need for additional years of operation with the risk of losing valuable ice mapping data. The success of the swap opens the possibility for CryoSat to continue scientific activities until the end of the decade and possibly beyond, contributing to the study of global ice changes.