As preparations for the launch of ESA's ice mission on February 25th continue on schedule, an important milestone has just been reached with the team at the Baikonur Cosmodrome saying farewell to CryoSat-2 as it was encapsulated in the rocket's 'space head module'. This milestone is the culmination of over three weeks of work testing the satellite at the launch site in Kazakhstan. Now, sealing CryoSat-2 from view, the protective fairing will not be released until just over 16 minutes after launch, when the satellite is injected into orbit.

The CryoSat mission is dedicated to precise monitoring of the variations in the thickness of ice. The mission will provide detailed data on changes in the thickness of both ice floating in the polar oceans and the vast ice sheets that cover Greenland and Antarctica. With the effects of a changing climate fast becoming apparent, particularly in the polar regions, this information is urgently needed to further our understanding of the complex interactions between ice and climate. Since it was shipped to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in January, the CryoSat-2 satellite has been undergoing an intense series of tests to ensure it is ready for launch. Although this particular launch campaign has not all been plain sailing, the preparations remain on schedule and launch is still set for February 25 at 14:57 CET (13:57 UT).