Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite

Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite
Operator JAXA
Major contractors Mitsubishi Electric
Mission type Earth observation
Satellite of Earth
Launch date January 23, 2009
Launch vehicle H-IIA
Launch site Tanegashima Space Center
Mission duration 5 years
Homepage JAXA, NIES, MOE
Mass 1750 kg[1]
Power 3.8 kW (EOL)[1]
Orbital elements
Inclination 98.05 degrees (planned)[1]
Apoapsis 684.8 km (planned 683.2 km)[1]
Periapsis 667.4 km (planned 666.8 km)[1]
Orbital period 98.2 minutes[2]
Orbits per day 14⅔ (planned)[1]
Instruments
Main instruments TANSO-FTS (Infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometer) / TANSO-CAI (Thermal and Near-Infrared Sensor)
Spectral band 12900 - 13200 cm-1 / 5800 - 6400 cm-1 / 4800 - 5200 cm-1 / 700 - 1800 cm-1 (FTS)[1]

The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite or GOSAT, also known as Ibuki (いぶき Ibuki?, meaning "breath"[3] or "Vitality"[4] in Japanese), is an Earth observation satellite and the world's first satellite dedicated to greenhouse-gas-monitoring,[5] which will be used to measure densities of carbon dioxide and methane from 56,000 locations on the Earth's atmosphere.[4] The GOSAT was developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and launched on January 23, 2009, from the Tanegashima Space Center.[4] Japan's Ministry of the Environment, and National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) [6] will use the data to track one of the gases causing the greenhouse effect, and the data will be shared with NASA and other space and scientific organizations in other countries.[5]

Contents

Launch

GOSAT was launched along with seven other piggyback probes using the H-IIA, Japan's primary large-scale expendable launch system, at 3:54 am on January 23, 2009 UTC on Tanegashima, a small island in southern Japan, after a two-day delay due to unfavourable weather.[7][4][5] At approximately 16 minutes after liftoff, the separation of Ibuki from the launch rocket was confirmed.[8]

Instruments

According to JAXA, the Ibuki satellite is equipped with a greenhouse gas observation sensor (TANSO-FTS) and a cloud/aerosol sensor (TANSO-CAI) that supplements TANSO-FTS. The greenhouse gas observation sensor of Ibuki observes a wide range of wavelengths (near-infrared region–thermal infrared region) within the infrared band to enhance observation accuracy.[8] The satellite uses a spectrometer to measure different elements and compounds based on their response to certain types of light. This technology allows the satellite to measure "the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a super-high resolution."[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Outlines of GOSAT and TANSO Sensor". http://www.gosat.nies.go.jp/eng/proposal/download/GOSAT_RA_A_en.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 
  2. ^ "Orbit Insertion of the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite “IBUKI” (GOSAT)" (Press release). JAXA. http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f15/pdf/20090123_2255_e.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 
  3. ^ "'IBUKI' Chosen as Nickname of the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT)" (Press release). JAXA. October 15, 2008. http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2008/10/20081015_gosat_e.html. Retrieved 2009-05-29. 
  4. ^ a b c d Fujioka, Chisa (Jan 23, 2009). "Japan launches satellite to monitor greenhouse gases". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUST44020090123. Retrieved Jan 23, 2009. 
  5. ^ a b c "Japan launches rocket with greenhouse-gas probe". The Associated Press. Jan 23, 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i8SEG81tZR548fDRwrx_hTHF4z-wD95SU4CO0. Retrieved Jan 23, 2009. 
  6. ^ http://www.nies.go.jp/
  7. ^ "To boldly go ... | Grist | News | 23 Jan 2009." Environmental News.<http://www.grist.org/news/2009/01/23/japan-satellite/index.html>.
  8. ^ a b "Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite "IBUKI"(GOSAT)". Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/gosat/index_e.html. Retrieved Jan 23, 2009. 
  9. ^ Gerein, Keith (January 21, 2009). "Alta. scientists to track greenhouse gases from space". Calgary Herald. http://www.calgaryherald.com/Technology/Alta+scientists+monitor+oilsands+from+space/1203112/story.html. Retrieved January 24, 2009. 

External links