MicroCarb was successfully launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on 26th July 2025
The UK and France have launched a new satellite, claimed to be the first dedicated solely to carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring.
Developed in partnership between the UK Space Agency and French Space Agency CNES, MicroCarb was successfully launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on 26th July 2025.
According to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), MicroCarb orbits 650 kilometres above Earth and will map urban CO2 emissions at an “unprecedented” 2km by 2km resolution, crucial for understsanding city emissions, which account for more than 70% of global CO2 output.
Beyond urban emissions, it will monitor natural carbon sinks including forests and oceans, helping scientists understand where and how much carbon the planet absorbs.
It will also measure solar-induced fluorescence, a faint glow emitted by plants during photosynthesis, providing valuable insights into the carbon cycle and supporting direct measurements of CO2 in the atmoshpere.
Backed by £15 million from the UK Space Agency, MicroCarb joins the international greenhouse gas virtual constellation of satellites, marking a major milestone in the fight against climate change.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency said: “Satellites like MicroCarb are our eyes in the sky.
“Over half of the critical data we use to understand climate change comes from space and MicroCarb’s successful launch is a major leap forward in our ability to track carbon emissions and absorption with unprecedented accuracy, from the world’s cities to its forests and oceans.
“Backed by UK and French investment and expertise, it’s a proud moment for both our space sectors and a powerful example of international collaboration in action.”
The first MicroCarb data is expected to be released in a year.
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Image: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–P. Piron
