Successful launch of MicroCarb, the pioneering European mission to monitor CO₂ from space

The MicroCarb satellite was successfully launched on July 25 at 02:03 am UTC from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, aboard a Vega-C rocket. This is the first European mission dedicated exclusively to tracking carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere from space, a key step in the fight against climate change.

MicroCarb is designed to accurately map the global distribution of CO₂, identifying both emissions generated by human activities and their absorption in natural sinks such as oceans and forests. Equipped with an infrared spectrometer, the satellite can measure gas concentrations with an accuracy of up to one part per million, providing key data for understanding and combating global warming.

GMV has participated in the development of data processing algorithms that transform the signals captured by the satellite into climate intelligence for CNES and EUMETSAT. This technology is essential for converting information into knowledge that enables effective decisions to be made to meet objectives such as Net Zero 2050 and the Paris Agreement.

MicroCarb is a joint project co-financed by the UK Space Agency (UKSA), the French Space Agency (CNES), the European Commission, and the French government, under the Investment Program for the Future (PIA) managed by the National Research Agency (ANR).

This satellite also serves as a precursor to the Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring (CO2M) mission, with which Europe will strengthen its capacity to monitor the emissions that drive global warming.

With MicroCarb now in orbit, a new era begins in environmental observation and decision-making based on accurate and reliable data, contributing to the development of technological solutions for a sustainable future.