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[LMD in the field] Validation of New European Satellites and Preparation of Future Space Missions with MAGIC-AVALON 2026


From 2 to 26 June 2026, the European MAGIC-AVALON (Aircraft VALidation Of New-generation satellites) campaign, coordinated by LMD, took place. It was one of the largest atmospheric measurement campaigns ever conducted in Europe for the validation of satellite missions. Over the course of one month, 107 scientists from 21 research teams across five countries (France, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland) deployed a unique set of instruments on the ground, on meteorological balloons, and aboard three research aircraft over France and Belgium.

This campaign took place only a few months after the launch of three major European satellites dedicated to atmospheric observations: MTG-S, MicroCarb and Metop-SG-A1. Its main objective was to assess the capability of these new satellite missions to measure anthropogenic greenhouse gases, while preparing the next generation of European Earth observation satellites.

More specifically:
1) validate the measurements performed by the recently launched satellites (IASI-NG, 3MI, IRS, S4/5)
2) acquire new observations of greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollutants related to human activities (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, CO, NH₃, etc.)
3) prepare future European space missions (SCALE, ECO, NitroSat, GHG space missions).

Two regions with particularly high emissions of methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide received enhanced monitoring: Brittany and Belgian Flanders. These regions provide ideal natural laboratories for testing the capability of current and future satellites to detect and quantify emissions related to human activities, particularly those from agriculture.

Fundings and participants:
CNRS
CNES
European Space Agency – ESA
EUMETSAT
BELSPO – Belgian Science Policy Office
AERIS DATA
Aerolab
Institut royal d’Aéronomie Spatiale de Belgique
Météo-France (CMS, CNRM)
CNES
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Freie Universität Berlin
GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung
Imperial College London
Laboratoire d’Aérologie (LAERO)
LATMOS Laboratoire Atmosphères, Observations Spatiales
IPSL-Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace
Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique – IPSL
SIRTA
Laboratoire d’Optique Appliquée (LOA)
Lpc2e
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement
SAFIRE
Université libre de Bruxelles
Swiss Flight Services SA

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