BackForward Satellite Programme: Greenhouse gas Observing Satellite 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Satellite programme designed to monitor CO2 and other greenhouse gases.  Japanese name: Ibuki meaning “breath”.
  • The third flight unit will host the follow-on of AMSR-2, initially flown on GCOM-W. 
  • Japanese programme: JAXA responsible of development and operations; instrument development funded by Japan's Ministry of Environment (MOE).
  • The platform is actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time is 5 years.
  • The satellite exploits sunsynchronous orbit around 13:00.
  • See detailed description at here.
Data circulation
  • Data downlinked through the DRTS data relay satellite.  Also, stored onboard and downlinked to Svalbard.
  • Data processing at the JAXA Earth Observation Center (EOC) in Hatoyama.
Agencies JAXA , MOE
Programme lifetime 2009 - 2031
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned