GHGSat ‘’Hugo’’ Spacecraft Launched on SpaceX Transporter-1 Mission
- GHGSat-C2 (“Hugo”) successfully separated from SpaceX rocket
- Follows launch of GHGSat’s second satellite, “Iris” on September 2nd, 2020
- Hugo is the result of GHGSat’s first collaboration with international leader in technology, ABB Measurement & Analytics Canada
MONTREAL, January 24, 2021 (GHGSat PR) – GHGSat, the global leader in high-resolution greenhouse gas monitoring from space, has successfully completed the launch of its third satellite, GHGSat-C2 (“Hugo”), which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:00 ET / 15:00 UTC on January 24th, 2021.
The satellite, brokered and integrated via Nanoracks, separated from Falcon 9, 68 min after liftoff. Hugo is expected to enter commercial service within a few weeks.
Hugo is the result of GHGSat’s first collaboration with ABB, the engineering firm which manufactured the payload. Previous GHGSat satellite launches include technology demonstrator “Claire” (or GHGSat-D), which has been in orbit since 2016, and “Iris” (GHGSat-C1), which launched September 2nd, 2020.
Hugo is the second of a fleet of 10 commercial, high-resolution satellites due to be in orbit by the end of 2022. Each satellite is equipped with a state-of-the-art sensor that detects methane emissions from sources 100 times smaller, at a resolution that is 100 times higher, than any other commercial or state-funded satellite. Iris has already detected and quantified smaller plumes than GHGSat-D (“Claire”) for industries such as oil & gas, waste management, and mining.
Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSat: “Hugo’s successful launch doubles our commercial capacity in orbit for performing high-resolution measurements of facility-level emissions. This launch starts the year on a high note as the next step in deploying our constellation.”
Three more GHGSat satellites are currently being manufactured, and each will include patented GHGSat sensors manufactured under contract by ABB Measurement & Analytics Canada. Marc Corriveau, General Manager ABB Measurement & Analytics Canada said: “ABB is very pleased to support the rapid launch of Hugo, following the delivery of the first of many payload replicas under manufacturing. Experience gained in high-profile space programs like JPSS, Meteosat, MetOp, GOSAT, and SciSat allowed us to refine the unique GHGSat technology. These complementary missions are essential to better understand our planet and carry us into a sustainable future.”
4 responses to “GHGSat ‘’Hugo’’ Spacecraft Launched on SpaceX Transporter-1 Mission”
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well done to SpaceX and the gang
And an unusually large gang it was this time. That may well prove even more true for future SpaceX dedicated rideshare missions. 143 is a lot of sats delivered on one launch, but this new record could wind up being quite short-lived.
It was surprising ISRO held the record so long. It’ll probably be SpaceX that breaks their own record next, unless ISRO try for hundreds of femtosats like Sprites.
Did anyone say how many different orbits SX deployed into, or how many 2nd stage burns were done ?
All the sats went into the same sun-synchronous orbit. There were only two total burns of the 2nd stage, the main burn that began shortly after MECO on the 1st stage which took the sats to parking orbit, then a 2-second burp burn a bit later to circularize the orbit. Deployments proceeded over more than half an hour. The last to go were the 10 Starlinks with the laser links. These may do a small plane change with their on-board thrusters and also raise their orbits slightly. These 10 birds were deployed much higher up than most of the Starlinks have been.