Hey there, planet lovers! 🌎 Big news in the fight against climate change just launched into space! A super-team backed by philanthropists—including none other than former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg—has sent their first methane-hunting satellite into orbit! 🚀✨
On Friday, the Carbon Mapper Coalition's satellite, named Tanager-1, blasted off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard the SpaceX Transporter-11 Rideshare mission. Talk about out-of-this-world teamwork! 👏
Using cutting-edge tech developed by NASA, the Carbon Mapper Coalition is on a mission to track down methane emissions from places like oil refineries and landfills. Why does this matter? 🤔 Because methane is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere! That's some serious stuff when it comes to global warming. 🌡️🔥
By spotting these \"super-emitters\"—those sneaky sources releasing more than 100 kilograms of methane per hour—the coalition aims to help cut emissions and save our planet from the worst effects of climate change. It's like a space-age game of hide-and-seek, but with way higher stakes! 😱
Formed in 2021, the Carbon Mapper Coalition includes NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, satellite company Planet Labs, RMI, and Arizona State University. They've got some heavy hitters supporting them too, like Bloomberg Philanthropies and the High Tide Foundation. The goal? Launch more satellites to keep an eye on up to 90% of the world's big methane leaks every single day. That's some serious superhero stuff! 🦸♀️🦸♂️
According to Carbon Mapper's CEO Riley Duren, tackling these methane emissions is essential for giving our planet a fighting chance. 🌿 So let's give a big shoutout to this stellar team making history and helping to protect our home! 🌟
Stay tuned for more updates from space and keep looking up! 🌠
Reference(s):
Bloomberg, NASA coalition launches its first methane-hunting satellite
cgtn.com
