SCARBO Heritage
Embarking on its journey from 2024 to 2026, the ongoing project SCARBON (Space Carbon Observatory next step) emerges as a natural follower of the achievements and insights of its highly successful predecessor – project SCARBO (Space Carbon Observatory). With a commitment to further develop and refine the innovative ideas initiated by SCARBO, SCARBON sets its sights on pushing the technological advancement to new heights.
SCARBO project (2017-2021), funded by the Horizon 2020 program, has achieved significant advancements in space-based greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring. SCARBO consortium coordinated by Airbus Defence and Space SAS, involved eight European organizations, has overcome two major challenges in operational GHG monitoring – i.e. inaccuracy in measurements caused by aerosols presence and the necessity for both highly accurate and frequent GHG measurements.
During its implementation period (September 2017 to November 2021), SCARBO introduced a groundbreaking solution - a novel miniaturised static spectrometer (NanoCarb) that might fly on a fleet of small satellites, joined by Multi Angle Polarimeter SPEXone for aerosol measurements. The SCARBO project studied the technical feasibility of both miniaturised instruments and assessed the benefits of combining GHG and aerosol measurements to enhance the surface flux retrievals.
SCARBO involved not only technologies’ development but also mission aspects. Altogether, the project has explored the detailed design of the miniaturised instruments, supported by performance simulations of the science data retrieval chain, along with mission analysis.
To make the most of NanoCarb's capabilities, SCARBO developed a new data processing system that can provide detailed emissions information on both regional and local scales. The project's approach was validated during a flight campaign in October 2020, proving the effectiveness of the combination of NanoCarb and SPEXone instruments.
This proof of concept demonstration was complemented by a robust market analysis which, has identified significant commercial opportunities, suggesting that services offering frequent observations at various times of the day, especially at regional and local scales, have great potential demand from industries such as oil and gas, public entities, research sectors, and utilities.
Overall, SCARBO has laid a foundation for the next generation of GHG monitoring, contributing valuable insights and technologies that will enhance our ability to monitor and understand the impact of greenhouse gases on our planet. Building on this groundwork, SCARBOn serves as a direct continuation of the SCARBO project, extending its activities and refining its technologies. While building on the partnerships and networks established during SCARBO, SCARBOn consortium ensures the progression and development of the technology dedicated for GHG monitoring.