NASA's Tanager-1 Satellite Successfully launched to monitor Earth's greenhouse gases

TapTechNews August 21st news, NASA announced in a blog post on August 16 that the Tanager-1 satellite developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has successfully lifted off and will be used to monitor Earth's methane and carbon dioxide emissions.

The Tanager-1 is the first satellite of the Carbon Mapper Coalition, carrying the most advanced greenhouse gas tracking instrument designed by NASA. It lifted off on August 16 Pacific Time on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and entered Earth orbit.

TapTechNews note: This satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to measure point source emissions of methane and carbon dioxide on a global scale, down to individual facilities and equipment.

The Tanager-1 is part of a public-private coalition led by the non-profit organization CarbonMapper. PlanetLabs PBC built the Tanager-1 satellite, and JPL is also a member of the Carbon Mapper Coalition and plans to launch a second Tanager satellite equipped with an imaging spectrometer made by JPL later.

The imaging spectrometer of this satellite can capture hundreds of light wavelengths reflected from the Earth's surface. Various substances in the atmosphere, such as methane and carbon dioxide, will absorb specific wavelengths of light, forming unique spectral 'fingerprints' that can be detected by the imaging spectrometer.

These infrared traces enable scientists to locate and measure a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions, thereby accelerating the implementation of emission reduction strategies.