2023-06-14 14:45:32
Methane is a gas with a much more powerful greenhouse effect than that exerted by carbon dioxide. Since its presence in the Earth’s atmosphere is much less than that of carbon dioxide, its role in global warming is less severe than that of carbon dioxide. However, any increase in its abundance in the atmosphere will reinforce global warming and that is why it is very important to monitor the presence of methane in the atmosphere.
A new satellite, called GEI-SAT Precursor, and dedicated to detecting methane, was launched into space at 11:35 p.m. on June 12, peninsular time in Spain. The launch was carried out from the space complex 4E (SLC-4E) of the US Space Force base in California, along with other satellites. The launcher used was a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The satellite, of the type called CubeSat, belongs to the Spanish company SATLANTIS, whose headquarters are in the Basque Country.
The services of this satellite have been contracted for the European Commission and for a US gas operator, following a collaboration project with the European Space Agency (ESA).
GEI-SAT Precursor is the first satellite in the GEI-SAT constellation, which aims to provide unprecedented capabilities for CH4 (methane) measurements, along with three other satellites currently under construction.
The GEI-SAT Precursor satellite, from SATLANTIS. (Photo: Kongsberg NanoAvionics)
GEI-SAT offers a pixel size that is considered the most precise on the market, which provides optimal technology to detect the origin of methane emissions with a precision of up to 6 meters, distinguishing between possible emission sources that could be nearby each other.
In addition, GEI-SAT builds on the great success of its predecessor, URDANETA-ARMSAT_1, an efficient CubeSat currently in operation, with a multispectral resolution of 2 meters, thanks to the advanced SATLANTIS iSIM-90 telescope. These capabilities (visible-near infrared) are also present in GEI-SAT, but are now extended to the SWIR infrared bands.
This technology has gained the confidence of the European Commission, as well as a US gas operator to take advantage of these capabilities, after an exhaustive technological and calibration process carried out in conjunction with the European Space Agency, Enagás and Encino.
The GEI-SAT Precursor Mission represents a complete solution for the detection, identification, and quantification of methane emissions, including payload, atmospheric radioactive transfer models, and final data products, enabling accurate and detailed emissions analysis. of methane mentioned, from the scientific concept to the provision of data to the end user. (Source: SATLANTIS / BeConfluence / NCYT de Amazings)
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