Volga-Dnepr Airlines delivered CryoSat-2 satellite to Baikonur

Volga-Dnepr Airlines' flight brought CryoSat-124 European Scientific Satellite from Munich (Germany) to Baikonur (Kazakhstan) onboard Antonov100-2-100 aircraft. The transportation was performed by the order of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The transportation of the spacecraft started on January, 12th. Antonov AN-124-100 aircraft departed from Munich and headed for Ulyanovsk where an intermediate landing was made for customs clearance of the cargo. On January, 14th, CryoSat-2 satellite was delivered to Baikonur.

The total weight of the cargo was 38 tons. Special temperature and pressure level conditions were maintained in the cargo cabin during transportation of the satellite. The spacecraft shall be put into earth orbit at the end of February. The mission of the satellite is to monitor the thickness of the ice cover on land and in ocean, and to help in exploration of interrelation between polar ices melting and increase of the sea level, as well as exploration of the influence of such phenomenon on Earth climate.