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 subsurface ocean at a depth of 100 kilometres or more. It will also produce a map of the icy moon's topography, helping understand processes that shaped its surface. In addition, measurements taken at different times during Ganymede's seven-day orbit around Jupiter will be used to determine the satellite’s tidal deformation. GALA will also conduct measurements on Europa and Callisto. The instrument was developed under the supervision of DLR and built in collaboration with industrial partner HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH (Oberkochen) and research institutes from Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Spain.
