First CO2M satellite being prepped for testing

The photograph shows the first Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring (CO2M) satellite being prepped for testing in the thermal-vacuum chamber at Thales Alenia Space’s facilities in Cannes, France.

The CO2M mission, which will eventually comprise three satellites in orbit, will make it possible to distinguish between natural and human-induced sources of carbon dioxide and methane – an immense challenge given the numerous sources with only a small fraction detectable in the overall atmosphere. Each satellite will carry a near-infrared and shortwave-infrared spectrometer to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide at high spatial resolution.

Developed by the European Space Agency, the CO2M mission is a high-priority mission for the European Commission.