GHGSAT Selected as Copernicus Contributing Mission by ESA and EU

GHGSAT Selected as Copernicus Contributing Mission by ESA and EU
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Feb 03, 2025

GHGSAT, a global leader in satellite-based emissions monitoring, has been officially designated as a Copernicus Contributing Mission (CCM) by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission. The ESA Earth Observation Directorate oversees the CCM initiative, which integrates commercial satellite data into Copernicus services. Through this collaboration, GHGSAT's methane emissions data will enhance the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), which provides critical information on air pollution and greenhouse gases worldwide. CAMS is operated by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission.

As part of this partnership, GHGSAT's high-resolution methane tracking capabilities will be integrated with data from the TROPOMI instrument aboard the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite. This "tip and cue" approach leverages TROPOMI's ability to detect large-scale emissions over vast areas, while GHGSAT's satellites provide detailed follow-up observations to precisely identify individual methane sources. This combined methodology offers an unprecedented ability to monitor and analyze methane emissions globally.

"This collaboration brings the unique capabilities of both satellite constellations to bear for the benefit of Earth," said Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSAT. "By combining the global reach of TROPOMI with the zoomed-in capability of GHGSAT's constellation, climate science researchers can better understand the prevalence of methane around the world and assess the implications for Europe."

Carles Debart, Director of Business Development - Europe at GHGSAT, emphasized the significance of this step: "After many years of supporting the European Space Agency with high-resolution methane emissions data through the Third Party Mission program, providing invaluable insights to the research community and enabling the understanding of anthropogenic methane emissions, GHGSAT is proud to take a step further and contribute operationally to the Copernicus program as a CCM. Through both programs, ESA has demonstrated leadership in harnessing commercial earth observation data for the benefit of all."

Richard Engelen, Deputy Director of CAMS, underscored the importance of incorporating GHGSAT's data into the program: "The inclusion of GHGSAT's data in our monitoring systems is a major step forward for CAMS. Precise, facility-level data on methane emissions will complement our existing capabilities, allowing us to better understand and mitigate the impact of greenhouse gases on the atmosphere. This is a perfect example of the ability of Copernicus Contributing Missions to augment the power of Sentinel data."

Copernicus offers open access to Sentinel data and Copernicus service information products, ensuring broad availability of environmental data. The Copernicus Contributing Missions supplement these resources by addressing additional observational requirements. As commercial space companies play an increasingly vital role in technological innovation, European new space enterprises have joined Copernicus as Contributing Missions, helping to maintain its leadership in the evolving field of Earth observation.