MethaneSAT
{{Short description|Space mission to study global methane emissions}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = MethaneSAT
| names_list =
| image =
| image_caption =
| image_size = 300px
| mission_type = Climatology
| operator = Environmental Defense Fund
New Zealand Space Agency
| COSPAR_ID =
| SATCAT =
| website = https://www.methanesat.org/
| mission_duration =
| spacecraft = MethaneSAT
| spacecraft_type =
| spacecraft_bus = X-Sat
| manufacturer = Blue Canyon Technologies
| launch_mass = {{cvt|350|kg}}
| dimensions =
| power =
| launch_date = March 4, 2024
| launch_rocket = Falcon 9 Block 5
| launch_site = Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
| launch_contractor = SpaceX
| entered_service =
| disposal_type =
| deactivated =
| last_contact =
| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit
| orbit_regime = Sun-synchronous orbit
| orbit_periapsis =
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| orbit_period =
| apsis = gee
| insignia =
| insignia_caption =
| insignia_size = 200px
}}
MethaneSAT is an American-New Zealand space mission launched in 2024 aboard SpaceX's Transporter 10 rideshare mission.{{Cite web |last=Kuthunur |first=Sharmila |date=2024-03-05 |title=SpaceX rocket launches pioneering methane-tracking satellite to orbit |url=https://www.space.com/methane-tracking-satellite-launch-spacex-transporter-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305200907/https://www.space.com/methane-tracking-satellite-launch-spacex-transporter-10 |archive-date=2024-03-05 |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=Space.com |language=en}} It is an Earth observation satellite that will monitor and study global methane emissions in order to combat climate change. The spacecraft will carry a high performance spectrometer methane sensing system, which will allow the spacecraft to take high resolution measurements of global methane emissions from roughly 50 major regions across Earth.
The mission is jointly funded and operated by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), an American non-governmental organization, and the New Zealand Space Agency. It marks New Zealand's first space science mission.{{cite web|url=https://www.methanesat.org/about/|title=About MethaneSAT |work=MethaneSAT LLC|publisher=Environmental Defense Fund|date=November 2020|access-date=13 January 2021}} The Bezos Earth Fund, founded by Jeff Bezos, announced a US$100 million grant to EDF that will support critical work including completion and launch of MethaneSAT. Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, a National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) carbon cycle expert, has been named as the mission's lead scientist.{{cite web|date=19 August 2020|title=Lead scientist named for MethaneSAT team|url=https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/news/lead-scientist-named-for-methanesat-team/|access-date=13 January 2021|publisher=Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment}}
History
The MethaneSAT program was started by MethaneSAT, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), with the goal of providing global high resolution data regarding methane emissions from oil and gas facilities. In January 2020, MethaneSAT announced that the spacecraft will be built using the Blue Canyon Technologies X-SAT satellite bus, with the spacecraft's methane sensing spectrometer being provided by Ball Aerospace & Technologies.{{cite web|last=Henry|first=Caleb|url=https://spacenews.com/blue-canyon-technologies-to-build-its-largest-satellite-to-date-for-methanesat/ |title=Blue Canyon Technologies to build its largest satellite to date for MethaneSAT|publisher=SpaceNews|date=6 January 2020|access-date=13 January 2021}}
In November 2019, the New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA) joined the program, committing NZ$26 million to the program. Rocket Lab will build and operate the mission control center for the flight in Auckland, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=https://www.rocketlabusa.com/about-us/updates/rocket-lab-to-develop-mission-operations-control-center-for-methanesat-climate-monitoring-satellite/|title=Rocket Lab To Develop Mission Operations Control Center For MethaneSAT Climate Monitoring Satellite|publisher=Rocket Lab USA|date=22 April 2021|access-date=22 April 2021}} NZSA will also take part in launch operations and may contribute to the scientific payload.{{cite web|url=https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/news/new-zealand-joins-methanesat-climate-mission-in-space/|title=New Zealand joins MethaneSAT climate mission in space|publisher=Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment|date=7 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927231631/https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/news/new-zealand-joins-methanesat-climate-mission-in-space/|archive-date=27 September 2020|access-date=13 January 2021|url-status=dead}}
Ball Aerospace and Blue Canyon Technologies completed an intensive technology review of their respective contributions to the mission in early 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.methanesat.org/2020/02/21/methanesat-instrument-orbital-platform-clear-key-design-milestone/|title=MethaneSAT Instrument, Orbital Platform Clear Key Design Milestone|work=MethaneSAT LLC |publisher=Environmental Defense Fund|date=21 February 2020|access-date=13 January 2021}}
On 13 January 2021, the nonprofit MethaneSAT LLC announced that it had signed a contract with SpaceX to deliver the 350 kg MethaneSAT into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5 launch vehicle with a launch window opening on 1 October 2022.{{cite web|last=Mathewson|first=Samantha|date=13 January 2021|title=MethaneSAT picks SpaceX for satellite launch to track methane levels in Earth's atmosphere|url=https://www.space.com/methanesat-picks-spacex-methane-satellite-launch-2022|access-date=13 January 2021|publisher=Space.com}}
By November 2022, the launch had been delayed to NET October 2023 by supply chain issues during the Covid-19 pandemic.{{cite web|date=29 November 2022|access-date=7 March 2024|publisher=stuff.co.nz|title=Methane-detecting satellite launch quietly delayed by at least a year|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/130603928/methanedetecting-satellite-launch-quietly-delayed-by-at-least-a-year}} The satellite launched as part of Transporter 10 on 4 March 2024.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2024-03-05 |title=SpaceX launches tenth Transporter rideshare mission |url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-tenth-transporter-rideshare-mission/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}
Results
Early reports using the MethaneSat equipment mounted on a jet aircraft (MethaneAir) showed that oil and gas producers in the U.S. are emitting methane into the atmosphere at over four times the rates estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency.{{cite web |title=Fighting climate change with MethaneAIR |url=https://www.edf.org/methanesat/fight-climate-change-methaneair |publisher=Environmental Defense Fund |access-date=18 September 2024}} The largest emitter is the Permian Basin in Texas which is emitting 256 tons of methane every day, accounting for 1.9% of total gas production. This is in addition to the CO2 produced by extensive gas flaring in the region.
Across continental U.S. the aggregate methane loss rate across 12 basins amounts to 1.6% of gas produced, which is 8 times higher than the 0.2% emissions intensity target adopted by the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative.{{cite web |title=New Data Show U.S. Oil and Gas Methane Emissions Over Four Times Higher than EPA Estimates |url=https://www.methanesat.org/project-updates/new-data-show-us-oil-and-gas-methane-emissions-over-four-times-higher-epa-estimates |publisher=MethaneSat |access-date=18 September 2024}}
References
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
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Category:Spacecraft launched in 2024
Category:Earth observation satellites