14-03-2024 | 12:25 PM
MethaneSAT, a satellite designed to track and measure methane emissions globally, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket from California.
Key Highlights
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.
