Japan has launched the world’s first greenhouse gas monitoring satellite into space. It is called Ibuki, which means ‘breath’. It will circle the planet every 100 minutes, gathering data to be shared with space and scientific organisations. It has three major mission objectives – to monitor the density of greenhouse gases precisely and frequently; to study the absorption and emission levels of greenhouse gases per continent or large country over a certain period of time; to establish advanced technologies essential for precise greenhouse gas observations. “The satellite is expected to play an important role in monitoring global environmental changes and look out for any small warning signs that could affect our future,” says a statement released by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
