MethaneSAT: A satellite to track Methane

MethaneSAT, a satellite designed to track and measure methane emissions globally, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket from California.

Key Highlights

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• It is an Earth observation satellite designed to monitor and study global methane emissions to aid in combating global climate change. 

• It is launched in collaboration with Harvard University, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the New Zealand Space Agency.

• The body involved in MethaneSAT is the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF), a US-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group that works on issues including global warming, ecosystem restoration, etc.

• MethaneSAT will make 15 orbits around the Earth each day, observing the activities of the oil and gas industry.

• The data collected by MethaneSAT will be freely available to the public in almost real-time. 

• The satellite is equipped with a high-resolution infrared sensor and a spectrometer, which will help fill important data gaps.

• It has a wide-camera view of about 200 km by 200 km, enabling it to detect larger emitters known as “super emitters.“. 

• The collected data will be analysed using cloud computing and AI technology developed by Google. The Google partnership will help turn MethaneSAT data into global methane action.