Amazon founder Jeff Bezos-backed methane-tracking satellite lost in space
Wellington: A satellite backed by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been lost in space while carrying out an important climate change mission, New Zealand officials said Wednesday.
Designed to measure greenhouse gas emissions with "unprecedented resolution", the MethaneSAT space probe was also funded by Wellington and the US-based Environmental Defense Fund.
Plagued with technical problems, the satellite recently stopped responding to its Earth-bound controllers.
"Clearly, this is a disappointing development," said Andrew Johnson, a senior official at the New Zealand Space Agency. "As those who work in the space sector know, space is inherently challenging, and every attempt -- successful or not -- pushes the boundaries of what we know and what we're capable of."
The Environmental Defense Fund, which led the project, said it was "difficult news" but would not be the end of its methane-tracking efforts. MethaneSAT was designed to measure emissions of the potent greenhouse gas, which fuels climate change by trapping heat in the planet's atmosphere. It has proven notoriously difficult to get accurate estimates of the methane emissions belched out by oil and gas projects around the globe. "It was one of the most advanced methane tracking satellites in space, measuring methane emissions in oil and gas producing regions across the world," the MethaneSAT team said.
'Remarkable'
Project lead Steven Hamburg said initial data gleaned by the satellite was "remarkable". "Recent measurements in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico revealed emissions three to five times higher than estimated by the US Environmental Protection Agency, while emissions observed in the South Caspian region are over 10 times higher than reported," Hamburg wrote on LinkedIn. MethaneSAT was launched into space in March 2024 on the back of a SpaceX rocket fired from California. Controllers first lost contact with the satellite on June 20, the MethaneSAT team said in a statement.
'Not recoverable'
They confirmed it had lost all power on Monday this week and was "likely not recoverable". "The engineering team is conducting a thorough investigation into the loss of communication," MethaneSAT said. "This is expected to take time. We will share what we learn." Despite its shorter-than-expected lifespan, MethaneSAT hailed the mission as a "remarkable success in terms of scientific and technological accomplishment".
Amazon founder Bezos pumped more than US$100 million into the project through his philanthropic Earth Fund. The satellite eventually succumbed after overcoming a string of technical glitches. It repeatedly entered a sleep, or stand-by, mode without prompting -- forcing engineers to perform a lengthy reset each time. One of its three thrusters also failed.
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