GALA laser altimeter
GALA laser altimeter
The Ganymede Laser Altimeter (GALA) on ESA's JUICE mission will primarily measure the tidal deformation of Ganymede's ice crust to provide evidence for the existence of a global ocean at depths of perhaps 100 kilometres or more. It will also produce a map of the moon's topography. This will help to understand processes that shaped the surface of this icy moon. In addition, measurements taken at different times during Ganymede's seven-day orbit around Jupiter will be used to determine the tidal deformation of the moon. GALA will also carry out measurements on Europa and Callisto. GALA was developed under the leadership of DLR and built in collaboration with industrial partner HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH (Oberkochen) and research institutions from Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Spain.
Credit:
HENSOLDT Electronics