Malfunctioning Methane Monitoring Satellite Linked to Bezos Suffers Space Loss
The MethaneSAT climate change mission, a groundbreaking initiative backed by Jeff Bezos, the Bezos Earth Fund, the New Zealand Space Agency, and other organisations, has encountered a major setback. The satellite, valued at $88 million and launched to track and hold accountable nations and companies for methane emissions, has lost contact with its Earth-bound controllers since June 20, 2025[1][2][4][5].
MethaneSAT was designed to monitor methane emissions worldwide, supporting commitments by around 120 countries from 2021 and 50 oil and gas companies who pledged at COP28 in December 2023 to eliminate methane emissions and routine gas flaring[2][3]. Methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas with 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over 20 years, is a critical target for rapid climate mitigation by cutting leaks from oil and gas infrastructure[2][3].
The unexpected loss of MethaneSAT poses a significant setback for efforts to curb methane emissions, as it removes a key high-resolution, independent monitoring tool that was meant to enhance accountability and enforcement of methane reduction pledges. However, the Mission Operations Control Centre at the University of Auckland, which operated MethaneSAT, remains a valuable asset for New Zealand's space infrastructure and for training future space scientists and engineers[1].
Amy Middleton, senior vice president at the EDF, which was in charge of the project, stated that if they hadn't taken this risk, they wouldn't have any of these learnings[6]. The EDF views the loss of MethaneSAT as a setback, not a failure, and intends to continue its efforts to track methane emissions despite the satellite's disappearance.
This loss highlights the challenges of space-based climate monitoring but also underscores the ongoing importance of such technology in combating climate change by providing transparent data on potent greenhouse gases[1][2][4][5]. The EDF received a $100 million funding boost from the Bezos Earth Fund in 2020, demonstrating the continued support for initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.
References: [1] New Zealand Herald. (2025, June 21). MethaneSAT satellite mission lost, poses setback for climate change monitoring. Retrieved from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/methanesat-satellite-mission-lost-poses-setback-for-climate-change-monitoring/XJ3DJ7Z6O64L577ZWK4H3X74YM/
[2] BBC News. (2023, December 18). COP28: Oil and gas firms pledge to cut methane emissions. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64159101
[3] The Guardian. (2021, November 12). More than 100 countries pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/12/more-than-100-countries-pledge-to-cut-methane-emissions-by-30-by-2030
[4] The New York Times. (2025, June 21). MethaneSAT Satellite Lost in Space, Leaving a Gap in Climate Monitoring. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/science/methanesat-satellite-lost-climate-monitoring.html
[5] NASA. (2024, March 15). MethaneSAT Launch. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/methanesat-launch
[6] EDF. (2025, June 22). Statement from Amy Middleton, Senior Vice President, Climate and Energy, Environmental Defense Fund, on the loss of the MethaneSAT satellite. Retrieved from https://www.edf.org/news/statement-amy-middleton-senior-vice-president-climate-and-energy-environmental-defense-fund-loss
- The government, through the Bezos Earth Fund, has shown continuous support for environmental science initiatives, most notably the MethaneSAT climate change mission.
- The loss of the MethaneSAT satellite, a $88 million project backed by various organizations, has raised concerns about the industry's ability to track and combat climate-change-related issues, particularly methane emissions.
- The environmental science community, represented by the EDF, emphasizes that the loss of MethaneSAT is a setback, not a failure, and they remain committed to using science to monitor and address methane emissions.
- In the realm of space-and-astronomy, the loss of the MethaneSAT satellite underscores the challenges in climate monitoring but also underscores the ongoing importance of such technology in the fight against climate change.
- Recognizing the significance of the MethaneSAT project, the Bezos Earth Fund stepped up with a $100 million funding boost to the EDF, demonstrating the ongoing financial commitment to address climate change and environmental issues.
