 Like its predecessor , CryoSat @-@ 2 was constructed by EADS Astrium , with its main instrument being built by Thales Alenia Space . Construction and testing of the spacecraft 's primary instrument was completed by February 2008 , when it was shipped for integration with the rest of the spacecraft . In August 2009 , the spacecraft 's ground infrastructure , which had been redesigned since the original mission , was declared ready for use . Construction and testing of the spacecraft had been completed by mid @-@ September . The Project Manager for the CryoSat @-@ 2 mission was Richard Francis , who had been the Systems Manager on the original CryoSat mission . 
