NASA scientists have just begun the most recent leg of the Operation IceBridge Mission, an unprecedented six-year mission to study the Earth's polar regions, not through the lens of a satellite, but from onboard an airplane. In fact, IceBridge is the largest airborne survey of Earth's polar ice ever flown. ||

This year five teachers were invited on board NASA's P-3B aircraft to fly at 500 meters above the glaciers of Greenland with Operation IceBridge, a six-year mission to study Arctic and Antarctic ice. Two teachers from Greenland, two from Denmark, and one from the United States were given the opportunity to see polar research first hand, and then take that experience back to their classrooms.For complete transcript, click here. || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_youtube_hq.00602_print.jpg (1024x576) [124.5 KB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_youtube_hq_web.png (320x180) [289.0 KB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_youtube_hq_thm.png (80x40) [17.8 KB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_appletv.m4v (960x540) [136.7 MB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_prores.mov (1280x720) [4.7 GB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_youtube_hq.mov (1280x720) [170.4 MB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_appletv.webmhd.webm (960x540) [56.1 MB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB.mov (640x360) [129.8 MB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_ipod_lg.m4v (640x360) [53.9 MB] || Teachers_fly_Greenland_OIB_ipod_sm.mp4 (320x240) [28.6 MB] ||

Science writer Kathryn Hansen and video producer Jefferson Beck give an update on Operation IceBridge from the field. They interview NASA engineer Kyle Krabill about the weather in Greenland and the flying conditions so far.For complete transcript, click here. || glacier_through_cockpit-640x360.png (640x360) [269.0 KB] || glacier_through_cockpit-80x40.png (80x40) [9.9 KB] || glacier_through_cockpit-160x80.png (160x80) [27.7 KB] || glacier_through_cockpit-320x180.png (320x180) [82.6 KB] || kj_podcast_1-portal_upload.webmhd.webm (960x540) [27.6 MB] || kj_podcast_1-portal_upload.mov (640x360) [49.2 MB] || kj_podcast_1-portal_upload_ipod_lg.m4v (640x360) [51.1 MB] || kj_podcast_1-portal_upload_ipod_sm.mp4 (320x240) [26.3 MB] ||

NASA's Operation IceBridge enters the second phase of the Arctic 2010 campaign in Greenland. Next week, NASA's DC-8 aircraft will return from Thule Air Base in Greenland to Dryden Flight Research Center in California. The fully equipped P-3B airplane will deploy from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland for the remainder of the mission. The mission is measuring the Arctic ice sheet, glaciers and sea ice. ||

Water covers more than 70% of our planet's surface and largely governs so many things from climate change to the sustenance of life on earth. What you may not realize is the vital importance played by the solid part of our planet's water inventory. ||

This short video provides an introduction to the science objectives and key players for the Operation IceBridge Spring 2010 campaign in Greenland. ||

Learn what a typical day is like with Operation IceBridge scientists, pilots and crew as they explore the polar ice sheets. This video includes exclusive footage of Arctic sea ice and Greenland glaciers. ||

NASA's DC-8 flew over the Pine Island Glacier Ice Shelf on Oct. 14, 2011, as part of Operation IceBridge. A large, long-running crack was plainly visible across the ice shelf. The DC-8 took off on Oct. 26, 2011, to collect more data on the ice shelf and the crack. The area beyond the crack that could calve in the coming months covers about 310 square miles (800 sq. km). ||

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Operation IceBridge has returned to operate out of Punta Arenas, Chile in 2014 in order to fly over science targets like the Weddell Sea and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. ||