At 3:22 a.m. on November 22, 2016, the Long March-2D rocket carrying carbon dioxide monitoring satellite blasts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Source: Xinhuanet

At 3:22 a.m. on November 22, 2016（BJT）, the Long March-2D rocket carring China's first global carbon dioxide monitoring satellite (hereafter referred to TanSat) blasts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. China is the third country after Japan and the United States to monitor greenhouse gases through its own satellite. The successful launch and stable follow-up in-orbit operation will enable China to monitor global carbon dioxide level, promote the full understanding of global carbon cycle’s effect on climate change.

The fourth IPCC Assessment Report has demonstrated that major global greenhouse gas and methane concentrations have reached the peak since 25 million years and are poised to further increase. Now on the global scale, continuous monitoring and analysis capabilities of carbon dioxide, one of the key factors influencing climate change, are still weak. The accurate monitoring of global carbon dioxide emissions has become the emerging demand of effectively launching climate change studies.

With instruments onboard such as hyper spectral and high resolution carbon dioxide detector and the aerosol detector. the satellite can access global carbon dioxide distribution map through the ground-based data reception, treatment and verification system on a regular basis. On the strength of these instruments and capabilities, China has made its way into the global frontier in monitoring carbon dioxide. In the meanwhile, TanSat will effectively enhance understanding of the global carbon cycle, improve the reliability and stability of climate change prediction results, and provide evidence for actively responding to climate change.

As the main user of TanSat, China Meteorological Administration (CMA) attaches vital importance to the launch of TanSat. Mr. Yu Xinwen, Deputy Administrator of CMA, expressed that the successful launch of TanSat is the collaborative effort made by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), CMA, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. On behalf of CMA, he expressed that CMA will make all-out efforts in in-orbit testing and ensure the stability of the ground-based system. CMA will provide high quality data for decision makers and technicians as soon as possible.

TanSat is a major mission of the Ministry of Science and Technology in combating climate change and enhancing the capability of monitoring global carbon dioxide. CMA National Satellite Meteorological Center (NSMC) takes responsibility for the research, construction and operation of ground-based data reception and treatment as well as carbon dioxide inversion and verification system. (Dec.22)

Reporter: Niu Yanyuan

Editor: Liu Shuqiao