MethaneSAT Satellite Loses Contact, Presumed Unrecoverable
The MethaneSAT satellite—hailed as a groundbreaking effort to monitor one of the most potent greenhouse gases—has unexpectedly gone silent, with mission officials now presuming it to be unrecoverable. The loss of contact with the satellite marks a significant setback in the global fight against climate change, especially in efforts to pinpoint and reduce methane emissions from fossil fuel operations and agriculture.
MethaneSAT was launched in March 2024 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and was developed by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in partnership with New Zealand’s space agency. Funded in part by a $100 million donation from the Bezos Earth Fund, the satellite was designed to track methane leaks and emissions across the planet with unprecedented precision. Equipped with a state-of-the-art spectrometer and sophisticated algorithms, MethaneSAT was capable of identifying methane plumes as small as a few parts per billion and covering vast areas much faster than traditional aircraft surveillance.
However, on June 20, 2025, during a routine data pass over the Arctic region near Svalbard, Norway, ground controllers lost contact with the satellite. Multiple recovery attempts during subsequent passes were unsuccessful. EDF confirmed on July 1 that the satellite is likely not recoverable, citing a critical power systems failure. Engineers believe MethaneSAT lost its ability to maintain essential systems, including communication and orientation, making it effectively inoperative.
Despite the mission’s early end, MethaneSAT had already begun delivering useful data during its brief operational window. It captured critical information on “super emitters”—oil and gas facilities responsible for disproportionate methane releases—as well as emissions from agricultural zones, particularly in New Zealand, where methane from livestock is a significant environmental concern. The data collected before the failure will continue to be analyzed and used to support international climate initiatives, such as the Global Methane Pledge.
EDF and New Zealand officials have emphasized that while the loss is disappointing, the mission still represents a technological and scientific success. MethaneSAT proved that small, agile satellites can generate high-quality methane data on a global scale, offering a model for future missions. The satellite’s software systems, data processing techniques, and early results have laid the groundwork for next-generation climate observation tools.
The mission also serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of space-based environmental monitoring. With climate change accelerating and international pressure mounting for more transparency in emissions reporting, the loss of MethaneSAT highlights the importance of redundancy, robust mission design, and sustained funding.
As investigations continue into the satellite’s failure, EDF and its partners are expected to explore opportunities for a follow-up mission using refined technology and lessons learned from MethaneSAT’s brief but impactful journey. In the meantime, the world loses a powerful eye in the sky at a time when precise, global methane data has never been more crucial.
Ultimately, although MethaneSAT’s mission has ended prematurely, its legacy—pioneering a new standard for atmospheric monitoring—will endure, influencing both policy and science in the climate fight for years to come.