GHGSat, SFL test methane-detecting micro-satellites

Canada's Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) announced on May 5 it had completed tests on three micro-satellites set to join greenhouse gas monitoring firm GHGSat's constellation this year.

The three new satellites, named Luca, Penny and Diako, will join three more already in orbit – Claire, Iris and Hugo – in the spring and summer of this year. SFL, which built all six satellites, said the tests showed that the latest models were "performing well above their baselines in all aspects."

"The GHGSat micro-satellites are able to detect and measure methane emissions from sources on the Earth's surface that are 100 times smaller than those identified by other satellites," SFL director Robert Zee said.

GHGSat CEO Stephane Germain added that the extra satellites would enable the company to provide more data and statistics on climate changes and trends.

An interview with Germain can be read here.