UK Gets Ready to Launch Europe’s First Carbon-Sniffing Satellite
A groundbreaking British-French satellite, MicroCarb, has landed in the UK for final assembly and testing. This mission will be the first European satellite dedicated solely to measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), the greenhouse gas at the heart of the climate crisis.
A joint project by the UK Space Agency and France’s CNES, MicroCarb is designed to track global CO2 emissions precisely, helping hold countries accountable to their Paris Agreement targets.
Precision Tech Built to Battle Climate Change
- Constructed by Airbus France, MicroCarb’s instruments were calibrated by the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Teddington before shipping to Oxfordshire.
- The UK’s Thales Alenia Space team will complete assembly and integration at the RAL Space facilities on the Harwell Space Cluster.
- MicroCarb will measure CO2 from cities, forests, and oceans, providing critical data on human and natural carbon emissions.
The UK Space Agency has poured £13.9 million into this climate-focused mission.
Dr Paul Bate, UK Space Agency Chief Executive, said: “Over half of climate change measurements rely on satellite data. MicroCarb’s information will be vital to understanding how much carbon our forests and oceans absorb, giving us the knowledge to make informed decisions.” “It’s a proud moment to welcome MicroCarb to the UK. This mission highlights the power of UK-France collaboration and shared expertise.”
UK Experts Drive Data Precision and Analysis
The NPL’s cutting-edge calibration work is key for MicroCarb’s accuracy. Dr Peter Thompson, NPL CEO, said:
“To tackle climate change, we must trust the data and systems we use. NPL’s role in calibrating MicroCarb means the information it sends back will be precise and reliable.”
Meanwhile, scientists from the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) at Leicester and Edinburgh universities will transform the satellite’s readings into detailed maps showing where carbon emissions come from and where they get absorbed.
Tracking Cities and Global Emissions in Real Time
MicroCarb’s special city-scanning mode can map CO2 across urban areas the size of London or Paris – vital, since cities produce most of the world’s emissions.
Professor Paul Palmer, UK Lead Scientist for MicroCarb, said: “MicroCarb will extend our ability to verify reductions in global and national CO2 emissions demanded by the Paris Agreement. Cities house half the world’s population and are on the frontline of cutting greenhouse gases. This new data will help cities devise smarter, greener strategies.”
Launch is set for 2024. When up in orbit, MicroCarb will become a vital eye in the sky for tracking humanity’s fight against climate change.
