NASA Launches Delta II Rocket With ICESat-2 Satellite Measuring Ice Level Changes

Daniyal Sohail Published September 15, 2018 | 08:53 PM

The Delta II US carrier rocket, with NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2), set to measure the changing height of Earth's ice, on board, lifted off from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in the US state of California on Saturday, which was broadcast live by NASA.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th September, 2018) The Delta II US carrier rocket, with NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2), set to measure the changing height of Earth's ice, on board, lifted off from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in the US state of California on Saturday, which was broadcast live by NASA.

NASA specified that the rocket lifted off at 6:02 a.m. local time (13:02 GMT).

The United Launch Alliance said on Wednesday that this would be the last launch of its Delta II rocket, which was first launched in 1989 and had since then "created a legacy throughout its history" carrying NASA and US military satellites.

The ICESat-2 will gather data tracking changes in the global ice sheets' level via its Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System. This will enable researchers to analyze climate change and make predictions on sea level rises caused by ice melting. The ICESat-2 mission is expected to last for three years.