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NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2,
launched on September 15, 2018.

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Using a rapid-firing laser, ICESat-2 has begun mapping the height of sea ice, ice sheets and forest canopies.

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Data collected over Arctic and Antarctic sea ice reveal thin ice, thick ice and ice ridges.

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Comparing the height of sea ice with the height of open water in the cracks between ice floes (leads) gives an estimate of thickness.

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Beyond ice, photons returning from over the ocean trace individual waves.

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Over forests, ICESat-2 can distinguish the tops of trees, inner canopies and forest floors.

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ICESat-2's data will provide insights into carbon storage, monitor changes in sea level and help improve climate modeling and forecasts.

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