The invention discloses global navigation satellite signal reflectometry (GNSS-R) detection equipment for sea ice thickness and a method for detecting the sea ice thickness by utilizing the equipment and belongs to the technical field of ocean monitoring. The detection equipment comprises a GNSS right-handed rotation polarizing antenna, a GNSS left-handed rotation polarizing antenna, a GNSS-R receiver, an industrial computer and a displayer, wherein the GNSS right-handed rotation polarizing antenna and the GNSS left-handed rotation polarizing antenna are erected on an antenna stand; and the GNSS-R receiver, the industrial computer and the displayer are arranged on an operating platform. According to the method, sea ice radiance is obtained by computing GNSS direct power and reflection power, and then, inversion is performed according to a function relationship between the radiance and the sea ice thickness to obtain the sea ice thickness. The detection equipment is small in size, light in weight and low in cost, is convenient to carry and is flexibly used and simply operated in region and airspace. The detection method has the advantages that the sea ice thickness is detected in real time, the precision is high, results are reliable, and the up-to-date performance is powerful.