Launch of Methane-Tracking Satellite Marks New Era in Climate Monitoring

A groundbreaking initiative supported by philanthropist Mike Bloomberg and others is set to deploy the inaugural satellite in a series aimed at detecting methane emissions from space using technology developed by NASA.

Set to commence on Friday with a launch on SpaceX’s Transporter-11 Rideshare mission, this undertaking marks a significant achievement for the Carbon Mapper Coalition, established in 2021. The collaboration comprises notable entities such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Planet Labs RMI, and Arizona State University.

It enjoys financial support from several foundations, including the High Tide Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, the Zegar Family Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

The satellite, dubbed Tanager-1, will be able to identify methane emissions from specific sources like oil refineries and waste management facilities. This innovative technology is designed to assist industries notorious for pollution in locating and addressing leakages, offering transparency through a publicly accessible online platform.

The ambition of the Carbon Mapper extends to deploying additional satellites capable of monitoring nearly 90% of major methane emissions across the globe daily. The significance of pinpointing methane sources lies in the imperative to enact significant reductions in emissions to avert the most catastrophic consequences of climate change.

“Richard Lawrence, founder of High Tide Foundation, said, “There is more momentum than ever to act on climate. But a lack of public and private investment in global methane and CO2 monitoring has left gaps that leave many emissions untracked and unaddressed.”

Methane’s impact is notably potent, with a capability over 80 times greater than that of CO2 in the initial two decades following its release. Riley Duren, CEO of Carbon Mapper, indicates that the major contributors, or “super-emitters,” can produce over 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of methane each hour, accounting for up to 60% of total regional emissions in certain industries.

The launch is scheduled at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with a 53-minute window opening at 11:20 a.m. local time (1820 GMT).