MethaneSAT, Funded by Bezos and NZ, Lost in Orbit

MethaneSAT, a satellite launched in March 2024 and funded by billionaire Jeff Bezos and the New Zealand government through the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), has lost power and contact, making recovery unlikely. The satellite was designed to monitor methane emissions from industries worldwide and had partnered with Google to create a public global emissions map. Its loss, which occurred after the satellite went off course near Svalbard, Norway, was reported to multiple U.S. federal agencies. MethaneSAT was notable for its ability to provide near real-time, mid-scale methane concentration data over key fossil fuel production areas. Despite the setback, EDF and stakeholders emphasize that valuable data and progress were achieved before the satellite's failure. The incident is considered a significant blow to global methane tracking and climate mitigation efforts.