SFL Missions Inc. announced the successful launch and deployment of the GHGSat-C12 and GHGSat-C13 (also known as Pierre and Valmay, respectively) greenhouse gas monitoring microsatellites developed for GHGSat of Montreal. SFL Missions Inc. developed the satellites on a low-cost, high-performance 15-kg NEMO bus, the same used to build the first nine GHGSat spacecraft.

GHGSat-C12 and -C13 launched on June 23 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, aboard the SpaceX Transporter 14 ride-share mission. Ground control has established communications with both spacecraft.

“SFL Missions is pleased that GHGSat has once again placed trust in us to support development of its industry-leading commercial greenhouse gas monitoring constellation,” said SFL Missions Director Dr. Robert E. Zee. “We take pride in developing barrier-breaking, budget-aggressive small satellite missions for commercial, government, and academic customers worldwide.”

GHGSat is the world leader in emissions monitoring technologies and pioneered the first satellite capable of detecting and measuring facility-level greenhouse gas emissions from space. Decision-makers across governments and industries including oil and gas, power generation, mining, waste management, and agriculture rely on GHGSat emissions data to drive emissions reduction and accelerate the decarbonization of the planet.

SFL Missions was selected to develop the two latest satellites due in part to the precise attitude control and target tracking capabilities of its satellite platforms, rare among spacecraft of their size and price points. This enables exact pointing of the onboard sensors, which is vital to the accurate detection and measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from sources on the ground. SFL Missions’ platforms have earned a well-deserved reputation for quality, performance and reliability.

In addition, SFL Missions incorporates robust design margins into every satellite, and these include the onboard power systems, data storage, and downlink capacities. These margins in orbit translate into better operations and longer missions, contributing to the better-than-anticipated collection capacity that GHGSat has achieved with its earlier NEMO-based spacecraft.

SFL Missions is building on a heritage that has produced 88 operationally successful missions and 380+ cumulative years in orbit. The firm is developing nano-, micro-, and small satellites and constellations using space-proven bus designs from 3 to 500 kilograms for Earth observation, communications, environmental monitoring, maritime situational awareness, space astronomy, scientific research and more.

Currently expanding its Toronto satellite manufacturing facilities, SFL Missions has 20 satellites under development or awaiting launch. In addition, SFL Missions offers a Flex Production program that will give customers the option of having satellites developed in their own location, at a third-party site, or at the SFL Missions facility.

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