The UK and France have successfully launched MicroCarb, Europe’s first satellite dedicated to tracking carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Developed as part of a long-standing bilateral partnership between the UK Space Agency and France’s CNES space agency, MicroCarb represents a major stride toward transparent, high-resolution monitoring of global carbon emissions. The satellite platform is based on CNES’s Myriade mini-satellite bus, equipped with an advanced onboard mass memory system capable of handling high data rates.
The satellite launched via the Vega-C rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou over the weekend and is now orbiting 650 km above Earth. With £15 million in funding from the UK Space Agency, MicroCarb will deliver vital new insights into the planet’s carbon cycle, data that’s essential for evaluating climate targets and policies.
A peek into the carbon footprint
What makes MicroCarb a game-changer is touted to be its ability to measure CO₂ emissions at a granular level. Equipped with advanced infrared spectrometry, the satellite can scan urban landscapes with a spatial resolution of just 2 km x 2 km. This detail is crucial given that cities account for more than 70% of global carbon dioxide output.
By mapping carbon emissions across specific city zones, MicroCarb will enable governments and researchers to identify localised sources of pollution and track how these change over time. It’s a powerful tool in the effort to achieve net-zero emissions, giving policymakers the data they need to design targeted interventions and enforce climate commitments.
Beyond cities, MicroCarb is equipped to analyse Earth’s natural carbon sinks, such as forests, oceans, and other ecosystems that absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. It does this by measuring Solar Induced Fluorescence (SIF), a faint signal emitted by plants during photosynthesis. This allows scientists to distinguish between natural absorption and human-caused emissions, helping improve models of how much carbon the planet can naturally absorb.
This dual capacity tracks emissions from both urban and natural sources, making MicroCarb an indispensable asset for global climate monitoring. It also positions Europe as a leader in Earth observation, with MicroCarb complementing Europe’s Copernicus CO₂ Monitoring (CO2M) constellation that will deliver even more comprehensive tracking of human-induced greenhouse gases.
Built in Britain, powered by partnership
British expertise has been embedded at every stage of MicroCarb’s development. Thales Alenia Space in the UK completed final assembly and testing of the spacecraft at RAL Space in Harwell, where the satellite’s calibration and pointing systems were also developed. Airbus Defence and Space supplied the payload: an advanced infrared spectrometer capable of detecting minute changes in CO₂ concentration from space.
On the data side, GMV UK and Capgemini have co-designed the complex algorithms that will process raw satellite signals into usable climate information. Academic contributions have been equally robust. Professor Paul Palmer from the National Centre for Earth Observation and the University of Edinburgh will lead the translation of satellite observations into detailed emission maps. Meanwhile, Dr Rob Parker from the University of Leicester is developing the mission’s SIF retrieval algorithm, enhancing the ability to measure plant-based carbon absorption.
This tightly woven collaboration between engineers, scientists, and commercial partners underscores the UK’s role as a key driver in climate science and satellite innovation.
A leap in European climate leadership
Born out of a bilateral agreement signed in 2014 and renewed in 2021, the mission illustrates how international cooperation can accelerate progress on shared challenges like climate change. The UK and France have not only deepened their collaboration in Earth observation, but also expanded their strategic ties across satellite communications and positioning technologies.
The satellite now joins the international greenhouse gas (GHG) virtual constellation, a coordinated network of global satellites gathering data on Earth’s atmosphere. With transparent, verifiable measurements, MicroCarb will support compliance with the Paris Agreement and inform national carbon inventories.
The first sets of data are expected within a year, promising crucial insights into both urban emissions and the capacity of natural carbon sinks. These findings will inform future satellite missions under the UK’s Earth Observation Roadmap and feed into global climate assessments led by agencies such as the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
A launch with global implications
As the world races to limit global warming to 1.5°C, missions like MicroCarb offer a new level of accountability. With its high-precision instruments and city-scanning technology, the satellite enables monitoring emissions not just at national levels, but down to the neighbourhoods contributing the most. At the same time, it provides fresh perspectives on how nature is responding to rising carbon levels data essential for shaping climate strategies.
From UK labs to a launchpad in French Guiana, MicroCarb exemplifies what’s possible when science, innovation, and diplomacy align. As it begins its journey above Earth, this compact satellite carries the weight of global hopes for a more informed and effective response to climate change.
UK Minister for Space, Sir Chris Bryant, said: This groundbreaking mission is proof of what can be achieved when we harness the strength of Britain’s burgeoning space industry, together with our deep scientific expertise. Bolstered with £15 million UK Government backing, the MicroCarb satellite will overhaul our ability to track carbon emissions – supporting the clean energy mission that’s key to this Government’s Plan for Change. It’s also further evidence of the value of our deep and unique relationship with France: a partnership which the Prime Minister reinforced, with President Macron, at the UK-France Summit earlier this month.”
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.”
Paul Palmer, UK lead for Microcarb added: “Currently, we are witnessing rapid and unprecedented changes in the global carbon cycle. MicroCarb will deliver SIF and atmospheric CO₂ data that are crucial for understanding those changes. It will also reinvigorate an aging virtual satellite constellation, providing high quality data to inform the next Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement. More broadly, MicroCarb exemplifies the world-class capabilities of UK science and engineering, working closely with our French colleagues.”
