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Carbon Mapper Shares the First Emissions Detection Images from CO2-Tracking Satellite

A plume of methane detected at an individual oil and gas operation in the Texas Permian Basin on Sep. 24, 2024. Carbon Mapper’s preliminary estimate of the emission rate is 400 kg CH4/h. Planet Basemap courtesy of Planet Labs.
Greenhouse gas monitoring nonprofit Carbon Mapper released the first images of emission detection from the Tanager-1 satellite on Thursday, showing methane plumes from energy plants. These first methane detection images were released after the Tanager-1 satellite launched in August.
An image shared by Carbon Mapper, above, shows a plume of methane detected at an oil and gas operation in the Texas Permian Basin on Sep. 24. Carbon Mapper estimates the emission rate at 400 kg CH4/h.
The satellite uses a spectrometer developed by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory on a Planet satellite bus. Planet will also make hyperspectral data from the satellite commercially available.
Tanager-1 is the first satellite developed by a coalition led by Carbon Mapper, working with NASA JPL, Planet Labs, and a number of philanthropies and charities that invested in the coalition. Carbon Mapper is making this methane and CO2 detections data publicly available to encourage action and research. This data will be used to help governments deliver on the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
Carbon Mapper CEO Riley Duren commented on the unique combination of spacetech and philanthropy that made this satellite possible.
“Detecting and quantifying methane and carbon dioxide detections so quickly with Tanager-1 is a testament to the unique partnership we established,” Duren commented. “This milestone is made possible by the support of our donors who have invested in the satellite technology, science, data platform, engagement program — and most importantly, the team. These first detections are just the beginning; we are on track to routinely publish high-quality emissions data from Tanager-1 in the near future.”
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