NanoCarb : A key element in one of europe’s most iconic missions

Frequent observations - Hight spatial resolution - High accuracy
Frequent observations - Hight spatial resolution - High accuracy ©SCARBO
By means of NanoCarb, the CSUG is responsible of a major instrument of the Horizon 2020 project SCARBO (Space CARBon Observatory).
The project aims at solving a key challenge of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) monitoring from space: improve the temporal revisit over the various sites of interest while meeting the accuracy and spatial resolution requirements (as per the EU guidelines on anthropogenic GHGs monitoring). This is envisaged by implementing a novel miniaturised static spectrometer concept on a constellation of Small Satellites (< 500 kg), coupled with aerosol sensors and high-end reference instruments.

Implemented by a consortium of 10 European organisations led by Airbus Defence and Space, SCARBO project kicked-off its activities in January 2018 and will run until December 2021.

SCARBO’s ambition is to belong to the second generation of satellites launched for the Sentinel missions (Copernicus) by 2030. This would help establishing Grenoble and the CSUG as major players in the field of miniaturised space instrumentation at European level.
Scarbo is a European project carried by several countries. The French coordinator is Airbus, which works with the University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Noveltis, ONERA and CSUG. Airbus Germany is also present in partnership with the University of Bremem as well as in the Netherlands with the partner SRON. In Belgium, it is the partner SpaceTec which participates in this project.
This project has received financial support from the European research and innovation program H2020 (number 769032).
Updated on  June 20, 2022