Europe launches satellite to observe polar ice caps

After a brief ride atop a converted Soviet-era ballistic missile, a $187 million European satellite arrived in orbit Thursday to spend more than three years measuring Earth's eroding polar ice caps. Scientists expect the CryoSat 2 satellite will not only determine the rate ice is melting, but also provide clues on how the changes will affect Earth's fickle climate and sea levels. More

(Source: Space Flight Now - Apr 8)