National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has selected remote sensing solutions provider ITT Computing to develop a new set of instruments.
The new equipment will be used to measure carbon dioxide from air and space to support Nasa's Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days and Seasons (ASCENDS) project.
ITT was awarded an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract for $7 million (£4.25 million) over a five year period.
Rob Mitrevski, vice-president and director for commercial and space sciences at ITT, said: "We are extremely pleased NASA chose us to help develop this crucial mission.
"Increasing amounts of CO2 and its effect on the earth has become an important topic for policy makers."
He added that ITT's new ASCENDS technology puts the company at the forefront of carbon sensing and measurement.
Nasa convened a community workshop last summer to discuss and refine the ASCENDS mission in terms of its scientific goals, objectives and requirements.