"ICESat (Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite) is the benchmark Earth Observing System mission for measuring ice sheet mass balance, cloud and aerosol heights, as well as land topography and vegetation characteristics." Visitors can learn how the data being collected can assist in answering many climatic questions including the impacts ice sheets can have on sea level and the affects of polar clouds and haze on climate. The website discusses ICESat's Spacecraft and GLAS instrument, which is the first lidar apparatus created for continuous global observations of the Earth. Teachers and students will find many links to educational resource materials. Through the website, users can also submit their questions to the ICESat science team.