A year after Southampton technology was launched into space for NASA's PACE programme, scientists are gaining new insights into global phytoplankton populations.

These tiny organisms generate oxygen for one in every two breaths we take.

In February 2024, NASA launched the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite mission, equipped with an Ocean Colour Instrument containing detectors built at Leonardo in Southampton.

Since then, the programme has provided unprecedented measurements of ocean health, air quality, and climate change impacts.

Leonardo Space programme manage,r Matthew Hicks, said: "There are so many firsts in this programme.

"This is the first time that we’ve had such detailed measurement of our whole global ecosystem at once. The first time that we’ve received transmissions of this data every 1 to 2 days.

"The first time that we’ve had a level of detection in such granular detail that it is equivalent to seeing 256 colours instead of the previous 8. The fact that core technology is built here in Southampton is an immense source of pride for our engineers and scientists."

Recently, a high-definition image was captured of the English Channel and south coast waters, displaying patches of vivid colours indicating areas of high phytoplankton productivity.

Phytoplankton play a vital role in the marine ecosystem. They convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into oxygen, making them essential for sustaining life.

The new observations also help scientists understand vegetation characteristics and measure forest and crop health from space.

Ben Knight, head of sustainability at Leonardo in the UK, said: "The NASA PACE mission takes us a step closer to gaining a fuller understanding of phytoplankton in all their complexity.

Communities of trillions of phytoplankton are now visible from space in detail that’s never been available before. Innovation and technology can play a crucial role in tackling some of the challenges related to sustainability that we are all facing."

In 2019, the International Monetary Fund revealed that phytoplankton capture an estimated 37 million tonnes of CO2 annually, accounting for 40 per cent of all global emissions.

The 2024 Nature study found that a mere 16-26 per cent reduction in phytoplankton levels could lead to a 38-55 per cent decrease in the ocean's fish capacity.