Why is it in the news?

• MethaneSAT is a satellite designed to track and measure methane emissions globally. Methane is the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide.
• It was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket from California. While not the first spacecraft to identify methane emissions, MethaneSAT offers more detailed and wider-ranging capabilities.

More about the news

• Fossil fuel operations account for about 40% of human-caused methane emissions. MethaneSAT aims to help reduce these emissions.
• MethaneSAT is developed by the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF) in collaboration with Harvard University, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the New Zealand Space Agency.
• The satellite will orbit the Earth 15 times a day, monitoring the oil and gas sector. It aims to provide data on methane emissions, their sources, and trends over time.
• MethaneSAT will collect data and make it publicly available for free in near real-time. This will enable stakeholders and regulators to take action to reduce methane emissions.
• Equipped with high-resolution infrared sensors and a spectrometer, MethaneSAT can detect even small methane emissions. It also has a wide-camera view to identify large emitters or “super emitters.”
• Google is a mission partner, providing cloud-computing and AI technology to analyse collected data. The data will be accessible through Google’s Earth Engine platform.
• MethaneSAT’s launch coincides with global efforts to reduce methane emissions. It will help countries and companies meet emission reduction targets and bring transparency to methane commitments.
• While the data collected will be publicly available, there’s no guarantee it will compel polluters to curb their emissions without additional measures or incentives.