Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign
The Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign is a multi-year campaign for students and educators from around the world. This campaign highlights measurements of tree height and focuses on the scientific, cultural, and personal foundation of trees. After students take and collect data, their goal is to make sense of their data and develop presentations, posters, and research projects based on their data and data analysis. Students can also visualize and retrieve additional GLOBE Program data for use in these research projects. Click HERE to learn more.
ICESat-2 By the Numbers
ICESat-2 is an incredibly precise space laser that features the latest in NASA technology To measure ice heights, engineers have to take ICESat-2’s instrument ATLAS to the extreme – sometimes going big, sometimes going small, but always keeping it precise.
Download high resolution video here.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
Measuring the Ice
ICESat-2 will measure the height of ice and its features, such as this glacial melt pond photographed July 16, 2014, over Alaska.
ICESat-2 Elevates Our View of Earth
ICESat-2 will provide scientists with height measurements that create a global portrait of Earth’s third dimension, gathering data that can precisely track changes of terrain including glaciers, sea ice, forests and more.
Download full resolution video here.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
Two Scientists Have a Frank and Honest Discussion about Antarctica
Photon Phridays!
#PhotonPhriday was a weekly look at how ICESat-2 measures Earth – from Antarctic dunes to the Bahamas to Greenland’s glaciers. Check out the profiles of our planet below!
5/31 Disko Bay, Greenland
6/14 Grand Canyon, AZ
6/21 Nantucket, MA
7/12 Crane Glacier, Antarctica
7/19 Cape Canaveral, FL
7/26 Crater Lake, OR
8/9 West Central Greenland meltponds
8/16 Los Angeles, CA
8/23 Great Bahama Bank
8/30 Dunes in Morocco; Megadunes in Antarctica
9/13 Gilbert, AZ
9/20 Nordenskiold Glacier, Greenland
9/27 Sequoia National Park, CA
10/4 Lake Mead, NV
10/11 Denali, AK
10/18 Rhine, France
10/25 Norwegian fjords
10/31 Transylvanian Alps
11/15 Forests of Botswana
11/22 Smoke clouds from Sonoma Fires
11/29 Black Forest (Germany), Black Sea (Istanbul), Black Canyon (Gunnison, CO)
12/6 San Francisco, CA
12/13 Cascade Mountains, Washington
10/29/21 Photon 'Phright Day' Look at ghost islands
ICESat-2's beryllium telescope during assembly
An engineer attaches components to ICESat-2's beryllium telescope, before it is attached to the satellite's ATLAS instrument.
Laser Focus: The Transmitter
Opto-Mechanical Engineer Tyler Evans illustrates how the laser is transmitted from the ATLAS instrument on the ICESat-2 spacecraft.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
Download high resolution video here
Snapchat Story
Launch countdown Snapchat story aired on August 22, 2018.
Mass Balance of Ice Sheets (Antarctica)
For high resolution downloads of video/animations, visit https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12977#26869.
NSIDC Introduction to ICESat-2
The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) archives and distributes data from ICESat-2. Here is their intro video to the mission.
The 88-South Antarctic Traverse
NASA cryospheric scientist Kelly Brunt and ICESat-2 Deputy Project Scientist Tom Neumann recall some of the highlights and challenges from the recent 88-South Antarctic Traverse.
Download high resolution video here.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
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Bevy of biomes
Beyond icy areas, ICESat-2 will measure other ecosystems including forests, rain forests, deserts and urban areas. This 2-sided poster is an outcome of the ICESat-2/SCAD Collaborative Student Project.
Photon Jump
Pho, a plucky bright green photon of light, must travel from a NASA spacecraft down to Earth and back again to help complete a crucial science mission in this educational short film.
Download high resolution video here
Pre-Flight Checkups for ICESat-2
To develop the computer programs that will crunch the raw data gathered by ICESat-2, the mission flew a series of campaigns with the MABEL instrument, which gathers similar information.
Pho Movie Trailer
In Photon Jump, a 3-minute short animation, a brave photon of light named Pho must travel from a NASA spacecraft down to Earth and back again to help complete a crucial science mission. The animation was created by the ICESat-2/SCAD Collaborative Student Project involving students and faculty from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
Download high resolution video here
Motion In The Ocean Activity Demo
Valerie Casasanto, outreach manager for the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, demonstrates the "Motion in the Ocean" water density activity. The materials needed are tennis ball tubes, a tub or container for excess water, salt, food coloring, tubing or a clear straw (a disassembled pen body could also work), and high density foam (such as from a children's puzzle floor mat) to make the fluid separator plugs.
ICESat-2 measures the Ice Shelf
ICESat-2's instrument will take measurements every 2.5 feet along its ground path - mapping dips and drop-offs in the ice. This illustration is an outcome of the ICESat-2/SCAD Collaborative Student Project.
ICESat-2 Deployment and Laser Pulses
The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, is a laser altimeter that will measure the heights of Earth’s surfaces. This animation shows deployment of ICESat-2's solar panels, door, and laser pulses.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
Download high resolution video here
ATLAS's beryllium telescope
ATLAS captures returning photons in this 2.6-foot, 46-pound telescope.
The ATLAS box structure on a shaker
The ATLAS box structure, with weights attached to simulate different components, is attached to a vibration table at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where it will be tested to see if it can withstand the jolts associated with a rocket launch.
ICESat-2 By the Numbers: Microradians
With extreme cold-weather gear, scientific instruments, and two tank-like snow machines called PistenBullys, ICESat-2 scientists traversed along section of the 88-degree south latitude line in an arc around the South Pole.
Download high resolution video here.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC
ICESat-2 Mission Logo
Official ICESat-2 mission patch logo.
Studying vegetation canopy with ICESAT-2
This visualization depicts how ICESat-2 data is being used to study vegetation canopy.
For high resolution and different versions, visit the SVS Gallery.
ICESat-2 By the Numbers: Orbits
ICESat-2 is an incredibly precise space laser that features the latest in NASA technology To measure ice heights, engineers have to take ICESat-2’s instrument ATLAS to the extreme – sometimes going big, sometimes going small, but always keeping it precise.
Download high resolution video here.
Video Credit: NASA/GSFC