MethaneSAT, First Methane-Tracking Satellite Launched to Orbit

Author: Pradhnya Anindya Dewanti
March 7, 2024

MethaneSAT Satellite Model (MethaneSAT)

SEAToday.com, Santa Barbara County - SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket on Monday (3/4) successfully launched MethaneSAT, a pioneering satellite that will track methane emissions from oil and gas companies around the world.

MethaneSAT aims to pinpoint methane hotspots and leaks from 300 targets worldwide as it circles the earth 15 times a day. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), who developed the satellite, has partnered with Google to create their first methane map by the end of this year. EDF Energy Transition Senior Vice President Mark Brownstein said that the data would help to hold countries and companies accountable for their methane pollution.

Methane is a critical driver of climate change. Once released into the atmosphere, it behaves like a blanket, absorbing heat and reducing the amount that escapes into space. Methane also traps heat over 28 times more than carbon dioxide.