Ibuki - First Satellite to Track the Global CO2 Levels by Japan

The satellite named "Ibuki, which means "breath", the first satellite dedicated to monitoring carbon dioxide emission was launched into space Friday from a center in Japan. It was sent into orbit with seven other piggyback probs on a Japanese H2A rocket, where official hope to gather information on climate change and help the country compete in the lucrative satellite-launching business.

Japan's space agency, JAXA, said the launch was a success, but official there said they were monitoring the satellites to make sure that they entered orbit properly. Ibuki, which will circle the globe every 100 minutes, will store information on greenhouse gas level around the globe for the next five years. And the data will be shared to NASA in the United States and other space and scientific organizations.

Ibuki, which will orbit at an altitude of about 415 miles (670 Kilometers), will monitor the level of carbon dioxide and methane from 56,000 location It was launched from a site in Tanegashima, a remote island about 600 miles (970 Kilometers) southwest of Tokyo. The Ibuki is equipped with optical sensors that measure reflected light from the Earth and check the density of carbon dioxide and methane, tow gases that are considered to be the main contributors to global warming.

The advantage of Ibuki is that it can monitor the density fo CO2 and methane gas anywhere in the world. There are currently 282 land-based sites to monitor carbon dioxide and Ibuki's capability will boost that substantially. The U.S. space agency will launch a similar satellite in one month that will map the global distribution of carbon dioxide.