Bezos-Backed Climate Satellite Mission Ends Prematurely After Spacecraft Failure OR Methane-Tracking Satellite, Funded by Bezos, Lost in Space After Technical Malfunctions

WELLINGTON: A satellite supported by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been lost in space, prematurely ending its critical climate change mission, officials from New Zealand announced on Wednesday.

The MethaneSAT space probe, designed to measure greenhouse gas emissions with "unprecedented resolution," received funding from both Wellington and the US-based Environmental Defense Fund. The satellite, however, experienced technical difficulties and recently ceased responding to commands from Earth.

Andrew Johnson, a senior official at the New Zealand Space Agency, stated, "Clearly, this is a disappointing development." He added, "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 spearheaded the project, acknowledged the "difficult news" but affirmed its commitment to methane-tracking efforts.

MethaneSAT was engineered to measure emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to climate change by trapping heat within the Earth's atmosphere. Accurately estimating methane emissions from global oil and gas projects has proven to be a persistent challenge.

The MethaneSAT team emphasized, "It was one of the most advanced methane tracking satellites in space, measuring methane emissions in oil and gas producing regions across the world."

Early Data Showed Remarkable Findings

Project lead Steven Hamburg highlighted that initial data gathered by the satellite was "remarkable."

Hamburg noted on LinkedIn, "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."

MethaneSAT was launched in March 2024 aboard a SpaceX rocket from California. Controllers first lost contact with the satellite on June 20, according to the MethaneSAT team.

Unrecoverable Loss

The team confirmed that the satellite lost all power on Monday and is "likely not recoverable."

"The engineering team is conducting a thorough investigation into the loss of communication," MethaneSAT stated. "This is expected to take time. We will share what we learn."

Despite its abbreviated lifespan, MethaneSAT celebrated the mission as a "remarkable success in terms of scientific and technological accomplishment."

Bezos, through his philanthropic Earth Fund, invested over US$100 million in the project.

The satellite's failure followed a series of technical issues. It repeatedly entered a sleep or stand-by mode unexpectedly, requiring engineers to perform time-consuming resets. Additionally, one of its three thrusters malfunctioned.