The MicroCarb satellite, a cutting-edge creation by Thales Alenia Space in the UK (TAS UK), has just reached a significant milestone. Currently en route from the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire to Toulouse, France, where it'll wait for its launch, this satellite holds a pivotal role in our efforts to understand and combat climate change.
A Global Mission: Tracking Carbon Emissions with MicroCarb
Designed with a specific purpose in mind, MicroCarb aims to quantify sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas, on a global scale. The lack of comprehensive data has hindered our ability to measure the ebb and flow of CO2 in the atmosphere. MicroCarb steps in to fill this gap, providing precise information crucial for deeper insights into natural carbon fluxes and informing climate models.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister for Space at the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, emphasizes the importance of MicroCarb's advanced technology in delivering invaluable data on our planet's CO2 levels. This collaboration between the UK and France showcases the groundbreaking innovations emerging from the UK's space sector.
Precision in Action: MicroCarb's Technology
Once operational, MicroCarb will become a cornerstone in Europe's efforts to monitor global CO2 fluxes. Its compact technology allows scientists to estimate CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere with remarkable precision, down to one molecule per million molecules of dry air (1 ppm). The secret lies in a passive spectrometer, a sophisticated instrument capable of measuring carbon absorption by ecosystems. This information is vital in understanding the impact of climate change on these ecosystems.
The French space agency, CNES, in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the European Union, oversees the MicroCarb mission. Airbus Defence & Space in Toulouse plays a key role in designing and building the instrument, while the satellite itself is built around the Myriade microsatellite bus.
The Journey So Far: Testing and Preparation
The journey of MicroCarb began at RAL Space's satellite test facilities in December 2022. Over the past year, the satellite underwent a meticulous assembly, integration, and testing phase, led by TAS UK with support from RAL Space and the UK Space Agency. Vibration and thermal vacuum tests, crucial environmental assessments, were successfully completed.
Now qualified for the space environment, the satellite is making its way from Harwell to Thales Alenia Space's facility in Toulouse for storage and final launch preparations.
Dr. Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, expresses excitement about MicroCarb's departure to France, highlighting its crucial role in improving our understanding of the carbon landscape and the impact of CO2 on our planet.
A Testimony to Expertise: UK's Role in Climate Change Monitoring
Over half of the critical measurements on climate change rely on satellite data, underlining the central role of UK scientists and engineers in significant missions like MicroCarb. Dr. Sarah Beardsley, Director of STFC RAL Space, commends the collective effort, from designing and building to supporting testing campaigns, as the satellite inches closer to its space journey.
The Future: Launch and Ongoing Involvement
With storage and launch expected in 2025, the UK will maintain involvement in monitoring solar-induced fluorescence. This crucial metric measures unused solar energy emitted by plants as heat and light, contributing further to our understanding of the carbon cycle.
In summary, MicroCarb represents a beacon of international space cooperation, a joint effort by the UK and France to address global warming. As the scientific community eagerly anticipates its upcoming launch, we look forward to the wealth of knowledge and benefits MicroCarb is set to bring to our understanding of the carbon cycle and climate change.
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