2024-09-01
Cutting-Edge Science|HKUST Partners with Jilin for Advanced Carbon Satellite Development Featured in Takungpao
On September 1, 2024, Prof. Hui Su, Global STEM Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Chair of Stellerus Technology Limited, was featured in an exclusive Ta Kung Pao interview on the university’s groundbreaking "Carbon Satellite" initiative.
Ta Kung Pao published the article
Pioneering a Carbon Satellite with Methane Monitoring Capability
Following its 2023 collaboration with Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., which successfully launched the HKUST-FYBB#1 Earth observation satellite, HKUST has now announced a second major space project. In partnership with the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the university is developing a next-generation carbon satellite that, in a global first, will also feature methane co-detection.
“Our goal is to complete the Carbon Satellite by the end of 2025,” said Prof. Limin Zhang, Co-Principal Investigator and Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “With national support, scientists from Hong Kong and Macau are now participating in more large-scale scientific endeavors.”
Planned Launch to the China Space Station in 2026
The satellite is scheduled to be deployed to the Tiangong Space Station by 2026. It will monitor carbon dioxide and methane emissions across mid- to low-latitude regions worldwide, supporting both global climate mitigation efforts and enterprise-level carbon accounting.
This builds on the first collaboration between Hong Kong and Jilin: the HKUST-FYBB#1
multispectral optical satellite, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on August 25, 2023. That satellite has already contributed to disaster response during Hong Kong’s historic “Black Rainstorm” last year.
Joint Breakthrough by Jilin and Hong Kong in Satellite Miniaturization
From June 18 to 20, the 2024 Changchun International Optoelectronics Expo was held. As mainland China’s first commercial remote sensing satellite company, Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. showcased its flagship products at the event, including the HKUST-FYBB#1 satellite, jointly developed with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).
Zhang Xiaolei, Director of the Office of Chang Guang Satellite, presented the satellite in detail:
“This satellite is based on the Jilin-1 Wideband 02A platform. From project initiation to successful launch, the development took about two years and involved several technical breakthroughs.”
According to Zhang, this satellite is the debut model in a new generation of wide-swath imaging satellites. Its payload is an off-axis four-mirror optical camera. While achieving performance comparable to the Jilin-1 Wideband 01 series, its total mass was successfully reduced from the 01 series’ 1,200 kg to just 230 kg. It can deliver high-resolution satellite imagery with a swath width of 150 kilometers and spatial resolution of 0.5 meters.
Lightweight Design Brings Cost and Performance Advantages
Zhang explained that satellite miniaturization and lightweighting are beneficial not only for reducing manufacturing and launch costs, but also for enhancing coverage and application performance. These improvements allow the satellite to respond more rapidly to needs and deliver real-time data, providing valuable support for decision-makers.
However, achieving miniaturization was no easy task.
“During development, we had to overcome multiple technical challenges,” Zhang noted, “including optimizing the satellite’s structure and ensuring the reliability of its deployable mechanisms.”
In particular, issues such as the deployment and vibration of the foldable panel structures posed high demands on the precision and stability of satellite imaging.
“Ultimately, thanks to the tireless efforts of both teams, these technical obstacles were successfully overcome.”
World-Class Innovation Beyond Western Standards
The launch of the carbon satellite will mark a major milestone. According to Prof. Hui Su, from the very beginning of the project, the teams in Hong Kong and Jilin aimed to design a world-class system:
“We weren’t trying to replicate what other countries have already done. We wanted a product that is both original and cutting-edge.”
HKUST eventually decided to collaborate with CIOMP (Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics) and the China Space Utilization Center to jointly design a globally advanced solution.
“Controlling methane emissions is a major global focus. Our project is unique compared to many international carbon-monitoring missions: we are not only measuring CO₂, but also methane, and doing so simultaneously—with a high level of precision. This is highly innovative, and I believe it represents a world-leading technology.”
Prof. Su added that after many rounds of discussion and technical evaluation, the team finalized the satellite payload’s mission: detecting point-source emissions.
“Point sources refer to specific emission sites, such as coal mines and power plants, which release large quantities of CO₂ and CH₄.
We aim to precisely measure these emissions, as they are some of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas accumulation. To do this, the system requires exceptionally high spatial resolution, enabling accurate facility-scale monitoring of emissions.”
Satellite Specifications: A Tale of Two Stars
HKUST-FYBB#1
1) Highest civilian-grade classification
2) Mass reduced from 1200 kg to 230 kg
Top image: First batch of high-resolution satellite imagery transmitted by the HKUST-FYBB#1 high-resolution optical satellite.
Bottom image: A full-scale replica of the HKUST-FYBB#1 high-resolution optical satellite.
Carbon Satellite