Satellite for Methane Detection
MethaneSAT, the world's first satellite launched by an independent non-governmental organization, was successfully sent into space on March 4, 2024. The Environmental Defense Fund, the organization behind the mission, aimed to detect, measure, and map methane emissions from human sources worldwide with unparalleled precision and scale.
Launched into orbit, MethaneSAT's advanced hyperspectral imaging sensors began their work, detecting the unique infrared signatures of methane by analyzing the sun's reflected light through the atmosphere. The satellite combined wide geographic coverage with the ability to pinpoint specific emission sources, filling a significant gap left by other satellites either limited to broad regional detection or narrow fixed locations.
MethaneSAT's data helped identify major methane plumes, including under-reported leaks in oil and gas regions like the Permian Basin. This demonstrates the potential for rapid, actionable methane monitoring.
Key findings from MethaneSAT include:
- Confirmation of significant methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure that contribute significantly to climate change.
- Demonstration of the advanced sensor technology and data algorithms that can robustly detect even small methane leaks globally via hyperspectral imaging.
- Transparent public data sharing, enabling researchers and policymakers to verify emissions and implement mitigation efforts swiftly.
Regrettably, MethaneSAT ceased operations ("went silent") sometime in 2025. Despite its early shutdown, its mission successfully showcased the effectiveness of methane hyperspectral detection from space and spurred other ongoing projects in methane monitoring.
Projects like GHGSat, a constellation of small satellites targeting individual facilities, and Carbon Mapper, which aims to target super-emitters with plans for expanding satellite coverage, have continued methane emissions surveillance after MethaneSAT's mission ended. These other platforms, alongside emerging AI monitoring tools, have carried on the legacy of MethaneSAT.
Supporting studies related to MethaneSAT used airborne demonstrators like MethaneAIR to validate detection techniques, confirming the satellite’s capability to identify and quantify methane plumes with high spatial resolution and accuracy, particularly over major emission areas such as the Permian Basin.
In summary, MethaneSAT was a pioneering, non-governmental satellite mission that advanced global methane emissions monitoring technology, influenced policy and mitigation strategies, but is no longer operational as of mid-2025. Other methane-monitoring satellites and systems have since continued and expanded upon the data and approach it developed.
[1] Environmental Defense Fund. (2024). MethaneSAT: A Mission to Track and Reduce Methane Emissions. [Online]. Available: https://www.edf.org/methanesat
[2] Carbon Brief. (2025). MethaneSAT: A Satellite Mission for Methane Emissions Monitoring. [Online]. Available: https://www.carbonbrief.org/methanesat-a-satellite-mission-for-methane-emissions-monitoring
[3] Science Daily. (2024). MethaneAIR Demonstrates Capability to Detect and Quantify Methane Emissions. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240610132451.htm
Science and technology played a crucial role in the launch and operation of MethaneSAT, the world's first satellite launched by an independent non-governmental organization, specifically in its advanced hyperspectral imaging sensors that detected methane emissions from human sources in space. Space-and-astronomy technology continues to be leveraged in ongoing methane monitoring projects like GHGSat and Carbon Mapper.
