ICESat First Light Release: Following ICESat

Leaders in Lidar series teaser in standard format.Music: "The Archives," Universal Production Music.Complete transcript available. Chapter 1: The Laser Is BetterThe scientists and engineers at Goddard Space Flight Center embark on a new technological and scientific journey, building and sending a laser altimeter to Mars with the MOLA-1 Instrument.Music: "Fragment," "Chasing Lights," "Charming Noise," "Steady Pace," "The Cage," "Taking It All In," "The Archives," "Intriguing Coincidence," "Everyday Stories," Universal Production MusicComplete transcript available.Video Descriptive Text available.Note on footage used: 00:03-00:09 provided by pond5. Chapter 2: Go Back to MarsAfter the devastating loss of Mars Observer, the Goddard team mourns and regroups to build a second MOLA instrument for the Mars Global Surveyor mission. But before they send their laser altimeter to Mars, the team seizes an opportunity to test it on the Space Shuttle.Music: "Unanswered Questions," "Chasing Lights," "Curious Occasion," "Time Ticking Away," "Have You Seen Annie," "Down to the Wire," "Man Versus Clock," "Everyday Stories." Universal Production Music.Complete transcript available.Video Descriptive Text available. Chapter 3: Take the Next StepsRiding on the success of MOLA, the Goddard team develops new lidar instruments for Earth, the Moon and Mercury. Each new instrument is a major leap forward in technology and scientific ambition and equally fraught with challenges.Music: "Breakthrough Discovery," "Chasing Lights," "Prism Lights," "Ellipsis," "What Have We Done," "Resistor," "Starlight Andromeda," "Cascadia," "Everyday Stories," Universal Production Music.Complete transcript available.Video Descriptive Text available.Note on footage used: 10:25 clip provided by pond5. Chapter 4: All the Easy Missions Are DoneThe Goddard team recounts the challenging paths that lead to the current lidar missions, the Global Ecosystems Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) and ICESat-2, which look to measure changes on our planet.Music: "Quick Rhythmic Stabs," "Chasing Lights," "Little Magic," "In Broad Daylight," "Hidden between the Pages," "Down Is Not Out," "Curious by Nature," "Correlating Combination," "Everyday Stories," Universal Production Music.Complete transcript available.Video Descriptive Text available. Chapter 5: Masterpieces of ScienceA look to the future of lidar missions and a reflection on what makes the Goddard Space Flight Center a great place to innovate, collaborate and build on the past for the future.Music: "Curious by Nature," "Chasing Lights," "Planetary Planes," "Hidden Between the Pages," "Hope," Universal Production MusicComplete transcript available.Video Descriptive Text available. Series teaser for vertical Instagram Reels.Music: "The Archives," Universal Production Music.Complete transcript available. A supercut of scientists explaining how laser altimetry works. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. The first test for Goddard's lidar came on board the Space Shuttle Endeavour with the Shuttle Laser Altimeter. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. Scientists and engineers eagerly await the first results of MOLA-2. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. The team recall the challenges of building a much smaller laser altimeter to send to Mercury aboard the MESSENGER spacecraft. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. The airborne lidar keeps the scientific momentum going in between satellite launches. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. Shortly after the launch of LRO, the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter is suspiciously silent. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. Engineer Scott Luthcke explains how geolocation allows for ICESat-2's precise ranging and measuring. Formatted for vertical Instagram Reels. Related pages