ANA HOLDINGS INC. (ANAHD) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have launched the world’s first automated system for atmospheric composition monitoring demonstration on scheduled commercial flights.
The new initiative utilises advanced satellite remote sensing technology adapted for airborne deployment.
Building on collaborative research since September 2020, ANAHD and JAXA have focused on gathering crucial data on atmospheric composition from aircraft cabins, particularly in urban areas.
The project adapts the sophisticated atmospheric observation technology from JAXA’s “IBUKI” (GOSAT), the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite, launched in 2009.
This is because it is estimated that urban areas account for 70 to 80% of total anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions.
The initiative provides granular data to support the examination of urban emission reduction and the assessment of their effectiveness, and significantly contributes to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
A major advancement in the joint research is the automation of the observation process. Previously, JAXA-developed equipment required manual setup for each test flight.
Now, the system has been seamlessly integrated into a modified section of an ANA Boeing 737 cabin, enabling permanent, continuous operation.
The newly developed onboard technology effectively combines wide-area satellite observation with high-frequency, high-resolution aircraft data to create a more accurate and robust monitoring network (shown in Figure 1).
The milestone marks the world’s first successful implementation of an automated atmospheric composition monitoring system on scheduled commercial flights utilising satellite remote sensing technology.
Through this joint research, ANAHD and JAXA will contribute to creating social value toward the realisation of a decarbonised society and new economic opportunities for the aviation industry.
The partners will aim to expand the variety of observed data sets, building data utilisation businesses tailored to the needs of international organisations, governments, private companies and local municipalities, with the goal of delivering scientific evidence for effective greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.
Looking ahead, research and development will extend beyond atmospheric observation by leveraging both space and aviation platforms to help solve global social issues, including pressing environmental challenges.
