Grants and Contributions

GHGSat’s current satellites are equipped with a wide-angle Fabry-Pérot (WAF-P) imaging spectrometer that measures the vertical column abundances of anthropogenic methane. The purpose of the project is the on-orbit demonstration of a next generation grating spectrometer.

The objective being sought is to achieve a major improvement in the methane detection threshold compared to the WAF-P spectrometer. The proposed demonstration contributes to Canada’s National Strategy for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The project will evaluate the advantages of a pointing mirror as a technology candidate for reducing the detection threshold and increasing the coverage and capacity of GHGSat’s wide-angle Fabry-Pérot (WAF-P) spectrometer. The project will build on heritage technology from GHGSat, and its partners with lessons learned from a predecessor project supported by the Science and Technology Development Program (STDP) as well as updated simulations and operational experience from GHGSat’s existing satellite constellation. This project will advance technologies required for GHGSat’s next generation spectrometer sensor to achieve significantly reduced greenhouse gas detection thresholds while increasing coverage and measurement capacity. If successful, GHGSat intends to fly the next generation spectrometer sensor as an experimental hosted payload on a third-party satellite, followed by large-scale deployment in a constellation. Support for this project will accelerate GHGSat’s efforts to monitor facility-level greenhouse gas emissions from space to help operators and governments mitigate emissions in the fight against climate change.

The objective of the proposed project is to advance the concept of an innovative miniaturized instrument, which uses a novel measurement concept for high spatial resolution and high sensitivity satellite-based methane monitoring. The precision of the methane column density measurement is expected to be up to two times better than current technologies, thereby significantly advancing the state of the art in satellite remote sensing of methane. Furthermore, the proposed instrument will have several practical advantages over current technologies including simplified design, reduced manufacturing cost, and increased operational flexibility. Benefits to Canada include the direct application of space technology to fight climate change. The technology is not only applicable for GHGSat’s next generation constellation, but also for hosted payload opportunities and potentially other commercial and governmental Earth observation missions. This instrument concept will help ensure continued leadership of Canada in high-resolution monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions at individual industrial facilities from space.

GHGSat will develop an innovative capability for validated dynamic three-dimensional greenhouse gas emissions estimation on a global scale using data from its own satellites and third-party satellites. Deliverables will include the implementation of a mathematical model for global methane emission rate estimation with components for the three-dimensional simulation of sources and sinks as well as chemical transport and atmospheric propagation. Once the emission rate estimator is validated, it can be adapted for operational solutions to address the requirements of regulators and end users in energy production, resource extraction, power generation, agriculture, waste management, and environmental sustainability.

Title: Automated plume detection algorithm for high-resolution methane measurements from GHGSat satellites

Develop a new AI algorithm to detect methane emissions plumes measured by GHGSat's satellites, with little or no human intervention.

(20STDPK05) GHGSat will provide experimental payload capacity on GHGSat constellation mission satellites to enable transformative innovations for GHGSat and its Canadian partners.

The proposed project will define the resources and interfaces available for experimental payloads on GHGSat constellation mission satellites. GHGSat will then evaluate and down-select one of three different experimental payloads. The down-selected payload will be manufactured, assembled, integrated and tested for flight. Finally, GHGSat will develop a roadmap for down-selecting additional experimental payloads for other GHGSat constellation mission satellites.

(20STDPL07) The project will demonstrate that a pointing mirror can be used to simultaneously reduce the detection threshold, increase coverage and increase capacity of the Wide Angle Fabry-Perot (WAF-P) spectrometer.
The project will define requirements, develop a design, then build and test an engineering model of the pointing mirror. The project builds on strong heritage from GHGSat for the WAF-PI, ABB for the pointing mirror, and Xiphos for onboard processors and related software. If successful, GHGSat intends to fly the pointing mirror as an experimental payload on one of its constellation mission satellites.

The project consists in promoting GHGSat’s value proposition to stakeholders (operators, governments and regulators) in the Oil and gas, coal mining and coal seam gas companies in the Australian market.

The Wide-Angle Fabry-Perot (WAF-P) imaging spectrometer is the main instrument on satellites that is used to measure greenhouse gas emissions from industrial facilities around the world.

This project will use lessons learned from the current version of the spectrometer to provide major performance improvements that will make it perform 10 times better. These improvements will miniaturize the platform, provide the spectrometer with the ability to detect very small concentrations of gases like methane, and allow it to be adapted to measure other trace gases like ammonia. This project will open up a $2 billion greenhouse gas measurement market to Canadian industry. It will also increase the number of Canadian experts in the field over the next three years.

Spectrometers can be used on satellites to measure greenhouse gas emissions from industrial facilities around the world. Smaller, more accurate spectrometers will lower the cost of these missions.

This project will explore new design concepts for a miniaturized spectrometer that can detect smaller concentrations of greenhouse gases while collecting high-resolution images that make the system less vulnerable to alignment issues or camera flaws. The miniature platform will be designed to meet the size, weight, and power requirements for commercial use on micro- and nanosatellites. The system will be evaluated to identify performance improvements like better communication with other systems, lower production costs, and streamlined product designs that will have no moving parts. This project will give Canadian industry a competitive edge in the $2 billion greenhouse gas measurement market and provide better alternatives to meet customer needs. It will also increase Canadian expertise in the field of optics, atmospheric sciences, artificial intelligence, and Earth observation.