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Cryospheric Sciences
Operational

ICESat 2: Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2)

The Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, measures the height of a changing Earth, one laser pulse at a time, 10,000 laser pulses a second. Launched September 15, 2018, ICESat-2 carries a photon-counting laser altimeter that allows scientists to measure the elevation of ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice and more - all in unprecedented detail.

Launch Date

August 2018

Class

Flight Project

Website

Key Staffs

The Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, measures the height of a changing Earth, one laser pulse at a time, 10,000 laser pulses a second. Launched September 15, 2018, ICESat-2 carries a photon-counting laser altimeter that allows scientists to measure the elevation of ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice and more - all in unprecedented detail.

Related Publications

2025. "Use of GLOBE observer citizen science data to validate continental-scale canopy height maps derived from ICESat-2 and GEDI.", Frontiers in Environmental Science, 13 1635707 [10.3389/fenvs.2025.1635707] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Advances in Spaceborne LiDAR and Stereo Photogrammetry Modeling for Improved Digital Surface Model Generation.", IGARSS 2025 - 2025 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 3722-3726 [10.1109/igarss55030.2025.11242948] [Proceedings]

2025. "Applying the science impact framework to understand real-world applications and impacts of ICESat and ICESat-2 data on decision-making.", Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 39 101669 [10.1016/j.rsase.2025.101669] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) for ICESat-2/ATLAS L3B Mean Inland Surface Water Data Products ATL22 Release 004.", NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD, NASA Snow and ICE Data Center; NASA EarthData, [https://doi.org/10.5067/ATLAS/ATL22.004] [Dataset]

2025. "Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) for ICESat-2/ATLAS L3A Along Track Inland Surface Water ATL13 Release 007.", NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, (Version 7): 190 [Full Text] [https://doi.org/10.5067/46BO943W5S2X] [Report]