ESA selects Dutch satellite system for local emission monitoring

Yesterday, the European Space Agency ESA gave the green light for the realization of the Dutch Tango mission. Tango is a satellite system that can identify and locate greenhouse gas emissions with unprecedented accuracy. Tango builds on the globally recognized Dutch expertise in climate monitoring from space and is expected to launch from early 2027.

Climate camera in collaboration with ESA

Jasper van Loon, NSO board member, has spent the past two years negotiating with the other ESA member states leading to the mission selection. "It is an important milestone that we have set today here in Paris. Europe will have a very accurate climate camera from 2027, which will be developed in the Netherlands."

TANGO satellites (image: ISISPACE) The Netherlands is developing Tango in cooperation with ESA within the Earth Observation programme. To make this possible, the ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate, and Education, Culture and Science, have invested additional money in the program in 2022.

Harm van de Wetering, NSO director, is pleased that the efforts to have the mission developed within the ESA framework were successful and the mission development is now really getting underway: "With Tango, the Netherlands will be able to deploy the very best we have in terms of science and miniaturised satellite technology via ESA to map and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is essential for the world and therefore also for the Netherlands that we contribute to the global climate challenge now and in the long term. That is why this topic also has a prominent place in the long-term space agenda."

Verification of emissions

The mission consists of two small satellites, each the size of a large backpack, flying in tandem. The first satellite measures nitrogen emissions and the second satellite measures the amount of the greenhouse gases CO2 and methane. The combination of the two satellites provides the unprecedented accuracy that allows Tango to measure emissions from individual sources.

TANGO satellites flying in tandem (image: SRON) Tango is a unique complement to other satellites, such as its Dutch predecessor Tropomi, which measures methane, and the EU's future CO2 mission. Those missions measure greenhouse gases on a large scale; Tango can "zoom in," so to speak, and trace the sources.

With Tango, governments, scientists and companies will soon be able to determine emissions from power plants, oil and gas installations and landfills, for example, and verify the reported emissions. Governments can check whether climate and environmental regulations are being complied with. Based on this, targeted measures can be taken to reduce emissions.

Dutch expertise

The Tango satellites are a result of the Netherlands' expertise in small satellite systems and optical technology. The technology builds on the technology used by Tropomi to measure methane emissions. The mission is being developed by Dutch parties ISISpace, TNO, SRON and KNMI.