Carbon Mapper coalition to launch methane tracking satellites.
A coalition led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will launch the first of a series of satellites to pinpoint methane leaks from space on Friday.
The Carbon Mapper partnership, formed in 2021, involves entities like Planet Labs, RMI, and Arizona State University. It is backed by philanthropic funds from organizations associated with Mike Bloomberg and others.
The Tanager-1 satellite can detect emissions from individual oil facilities, landfills, etc. Data will be available publicly to help industries stem leaks cost-effectively.
Carbon Mapper aims to orbit assets tracking over 90% of large methane plumes daily, crucial for reining in greenhouse gas emissions.
Monitoring gaps have hindered curbing emissions so far, said a High Tide Foundation representative. As methane is over 80x more potent initially than CO2, plugging super-emitting sites is key.
SpaceX will blast off the satellite from California aboard its Transporter-11 mission. The 53-minute launch window opens at 1820 GMT on Friday.
Identifying sources is urgent for climate mitigation given methane’s outsized warming impact in the short-run compared to carbon dioxide.
