The first satellite dedicated to monitoring carbon dioxide emissions was launched into space Friday from a center in Japan, where officials hope to gather information on climate change , and help the country compete in the lucrative satellite-launching business.
Japan is proclaiming the launch a success.
The satellite was sent into orbit on Friday, January 23rd, along with seven other piggyback probes on a Japanese H2A rocket. Japan's space agency says officials are monitoring the satellites to make sure that they entered orbit properly.
The satellite is called "Ibuki," which is Japanese for "breath." It will circle the globe every 100 minutes and store information on greenhouse gas levels around the globe for the next
five years. The data will be shared with NASA in the United States and other space and scientific organizations.
The U.S. will launch a similar satellite in one month that will map the global distribution of carbon dioxide.
Associated Press writer Shino Yuasa contributed to this report.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement