Dutch experts build twin satellites to pinpoint greenhouse gas emissions from space

Dutch experts are jointly developing a new satellite system that can accurately measure emissions of the main greenhouse gases worldwide. In addition to tracking “plumes” of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane gas, the two satellites will also map air pollution caused by nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The plan is for the satellites to begin doing this in 2028. The organizations involved have called it a “unique European measuring system.”

The satellites measure at the source level how many greenhouse gases are rising from, for example, power plants, large factories, or landfills. “Sources responsible for about 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions will be mapped,” according to KNMI, TNO, SRON, and ISISPACE. They are jointly responsible for the project, which is being carried out under the banner of the European Space Agency (ESA).

“With this mission, we’re making the invisible visible,” said KNMI scientist Pepijn Veefkind. “We are going into a new age in which things are not only measured at a large scale, but where it is also clear who is doing what, and that is important for the global challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial part of reducing climate change.

The satellite system is called TANGO. This stands for Twin Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Observers. It is a twin satellite that observes emissions from human activities from space.

This is not the first time that the Netherlands has made a significant contribution to emissions measurements using satellites. Dutch experts also invented TROPOMI. This has been circling the Earth since 2017 and measures various pollution substances, including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane.

An important difference between the systems is that TANGO also measures CO2 emissions, the gas that is the biggest contributor to global warming. The new system also measures this at a much larger scale.

The company ISISPACE from Delft is responsible for the satellites. TNO is building the measuring instruments, while SRON and KNMI are leading the scientific aspects of the project.