NASA launches satellite to track Earth's melting ice
Washington, Sep 15 : In a bid to understand Earth's ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, snow cover and permafrost, NASA on Saturday successfully launched its Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2.
The satellite with a three-year mission was launched at 9.02 a.m EDT on September 15, with liftoff aboard a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
"Today was the #Delta II's final launch! ULALaunch used the last #Delta II rocket for the 9:02 a.m EDT liftoff of NASA_ICE's #ICESat2 this morning. Once on orbit, #ICESat2 will measure the thickness of Earth's polar ice sheets," the US space agency said in a tweet.
NASA had earlier in the day said the weather is favourable for the launch.
"The forecast remains 100 per cent 'go' on all constraints," Lt. Daniel Smith of Launch Weather Officer said while briefing the team on forecast.
It also carries twin ELFIN CubeSats
"Today's #ICESat2 launch comes with a bonus -- a pair of tiny satellites that will study how energetic electrons make their way into our atmosphere from space," NASA tweeted.
The Delta II rocket, in use since 1989, has a stellar track record. It has launched 154 times, carrying payloads aloft for NASA, the US military and commercial clients.
ICESat-2 is NASA's most advanced Laser instrument -- the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System, or ATLAS.
It measures height by precisely timing how long it takes individual photons of light from a Laser to leave the satellite, bounce off Earth and return to the satellite.
The satellite will provide critical observations of how ice sheets, glaciers and sea ice are changing, leading to insights into how these changes impact people where they live, NASA said.
ICESat-2's orbit will make 1,387 unique ground tracks around Earth in 91 days and then start the same ground pattern again at the beginning.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
