ABB optical sensors in space for emissions monitoring

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An optical sensor by ABB is on-board of the Hugo satellite powered by GHGSat, which was successfully launched out into space with the SpaceX rocket last January, aiming to detect greenhouse gas emissions from above the Earth.

The ABB supplied optical sensor can map methane emissions from space, freely across jurisdictions and at a resolution that is 100 times higher than any other sensors. Whilst previously only larger regions could be surveyed, for the first time the new greater granularity now allows the identification of the source of emissions, thus providing valuable insights which will enable governments and industries around the world to meet their emission reduction targets and reduce the negative impact on global warming.

GHGSat announced a satellite constellation contract award with ABB in October 2020, with first deliveries in 2021. The unit launched by SpaceX was a single unit procured by GHGSat from ABB two years ago ahead of a selection for the constellation. An additional nine units are then currently under manufacture at ABB to be launched by the end of 2022 ready to be on-board across the first private satellite constellation dedicated to emission measurement.

With its involvement in the Canadian SCISAT mission and the Japanese GOSAT series of satellites, ABB has been at the forefront of the field of greenhouse gas sensing from space for more than two decades. ABB optical equipment already in space cumulates more than 100 years of reliable operation. The SCISAT sensor tracks long-term subtle composition changes in the earth’s atmosphere down to parts per trillion of more than 70 molecules and pollutants since 2003. Weather agencies across the world base their predictions on ABB equipment flying onboard the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather satellites (NPP and JPSS), which saves lives by improving the timeliness and accuracy of weather forecasts for up to seven days.

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