Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite-2

Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite-2, known as GOSAT-2 and Ibuki 2, is a Japanese Earth observation satellite that measures greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which was chosen as prime contractor for the spacecraft and its instruments in December 2013, it continues the work of the first GOSAT, or Ibuki, mission with better accuracy. It monitors carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide, with a stated observation accuracy of 0.5 ppm for carbon dioxide and 5 ppb for methane at a 500 km mesh over land. Its two instruments are the TANSO-FTS Fourier transform spectrometer and the TANSO-CAI-2 cloud and aerosol imager. The satellite has a mass of about 1800 kg and a five year design life, and it flies in a sun-synchronous orbit near 590 km. It was launched on 29 October 2018 on an H-2A-202 from Tanegashima Space Center, sharing the ride with KhalifaSat and several smaller satellites.