Posted on behalf of Asher Mullard

A two-tonne satellite specifically designed to study climate change was successfully launched today from Japan.

Orbiting at a level of 666km, the greenhouse gases observing satellite (GOSAT) will monitor the levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere in a 5-year study.

The satellite was launched today from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan at 12:54 pm, Bloomberg reports.

Japan spent 18.3 billion yen ($205 million) developing Gosat, which has also been dubbed “Ibuki,” the Japanese word for “breath.” The solar-powered satellite has a wing-span of 13.7 meters and weighs 1,750 kilograms (3,858 pounds).

An American climate-change satellite, dubbed the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), is scheduled to launch in February.

OCO will be able to pinpoint key locations where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed.

Top image: The spacecraft carrying GOSAT takes flight. JAXA.