Photo: Airmo

Germany and Luxembourg-based sensing company Airmo will partner with satellite manufacturer EnduroSat to put its methane emissions monitoring technology into orbit, with the first satellite of a projected 12-satellite constellation slated to launch in 2027.

In a statement this morning, Airmo said it aims to fill a gap in unreliable methane emissions reporting, as increasing sectoral oversight like the European Union’s 2024 methane regulation increases demand for data.

The satellite will detect methane emissions over gas infrastructure in Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The data, Airmo said, will be commercially available to oil and gas operators, regulators, financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations in early 2027. The data will be used to track emissions and remediation efforts and support compliance.

Airmo’s short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrometer and micro-light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system will be placed on an EnduroSat FRAME-15 satellite. Airmo has experience operating this technology from aircraft and drones in Europe and the Middle East. The satellite will be designed to detect methane with a ground sampling resolution of about 50 meters at 500 kilometer altitude.

“We needed a partner who could match our pace and our ambition,” Airmo CEO Daria Stepanova said. “EnduroSat brings exactly the technical depth and mission execution experience we need to get our payload to orbit on schedule and performing to spec.”

EnduroSat provides end-to-end space service, including payload integration, testing and qualification, launch brokerage, commissioning, and in-orbit operations. Airmo said EnduroSat could also fulfill its rapid scaling goal because of its recently-opened manufacturing facility in Sofia, Bulgaria.