Context
● MethaneSAT, carried into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is a satellite crafted to survey and quantify methane emissions on a global scale.
● MethaneSAT's objective is to observe the oil and gas industry, furnishing information regarding emission origins, patterns, and fluctuations across time.
About
● Developed through collaboration between the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Harvard University, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the New Zealand Space Agency, MethaneSAT is designed to orbit the Earth 15 times daily, gathering data for public access in nearly real-time.
● Utilizing cutting-edge technology, including a high-resolution infrared sensor and spectrometer, MethaneSAT can discern methane concentrations as minute as three parts per billion and pinpoint both major and minor emission sources.
● Methane, a colorless, odorless, flammable gas constituting the primary component of natural gas, also acts as a greenhouse gas (GHG), influencing Earth's climate system.
