Tanager (satellite)
Tanager are a series of Earth observation satellites designed to detect and measure emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly methane and carbon dioxide. Tanager-1 is the first satellite deployed for the Carbon Mapper initiative and was launched on 16 August 2024.[1][2][3] Tanager-2, also developed as part of the Carbon Mapper satellite constellation, is a satellite planned for the detection and quantification of greenhouse gas emissions.[4][5]
Background
[edit]Tanager-1 was developed to improve the detection and monitoring of high-intensity greenhouse gas emission sources, including methane emissions from industrial infrastructure.[1] The mission forms part of broader efforts to expand satellite-based atmospheric monitoring and provide data for scientific and policy applications.[2][6] Tanager-2 is a continuation of this project.
Development and launch
[edit]Tanager-1 was developed through the Carbon Mapper partnership, which includes NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Planet Labs.[7][3] Tanager-1 was built by Planet Labs as part of a public-private collaboration involving several scientific and nonprofit organisations[2][8] and launched on 16 August 2024 aboard SpaceX's Transporter rideshare mission, a Falcon 9 rocket, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.[2][3]
Tanager-2 is also being developed by the Carbon Mapper partnership, and built by Planet Labs.[9]
Mission and instrumentation
[edit]Tanager-1 carries a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer that measures reflected light across multiple wavelengths, allowing detection of atmospheric gases based on their spectral signatures.[2][10] The satellite is designed to detect, locate, and quantify methane and carbon dioxide emissions from specific sources such as landfills and energy infrastructure.[11][6]
Tanager-2 will also carry a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.[9]
Operations
[edit]After commissioning, Tanager-1 entered operational monitoring to support facility-scale greenhouse gas detection, monitoring and tracking.[7][8] Early observations identified greenhouse gas plumes in several regions following commissioning of the instrument.[11][6]
Tanager-2 is planned to operate in low Earth orbit, at an orbital altitude of approximately 405 km.[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Group backed by Bloomberg, NASA launches its first methane-hunting satellite". Reuters. 16 August 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "NASA-Designed Greenhouse Gas-Detection Instrument Launches". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 16 August 2024.
- 1 2 3 "Planet launches 1st Tanager-1 hyperspectral satellite". SatNews. 18 August 2024.
- ↑ Duren, Riley M. (2025). "The Carbon Mapper emissions monitoring system". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 18 (22): 6933–6975. doi:10.5194/amt-18-6933-2025.
- ↑ "Group backed by Bloomberg, NASA launches its first methane-hunting satellite". Reuters. 2024-08-16.
- 1 2 3 "Carbon Mapper shares first emissions detection images from CO2 tracking satellite". Satellite Today. 10 October 2024.
- 1 2 "Group backed by Bloomberg, NASA launches its first methane-hunting satellite". Reuters. 16 August 2024.
- 1 2 "Achievements and Challenges From the First Year of Tanager-1". Small Satellite Conference Proceedings. 2025.
- 1 2 "Carbon Mapper Coalition's Tanager Satellite". NASA. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ↑ "The Carbon Mapper emissions monitoring system" (PDF). EGU Preprints. 2025.
- 1 2 "First Greenhouse Gas Plumes Detected With NASA-Designed Instrument". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 10 October 2024.
- ↑ "Tanager-2". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 2026-02-24.