MethaneSAT update, July 2025

In a statement issued today, MethaneSAT LLC, owners of the MethaneSAT satellite, advised contact with the satellite was lost on 20 June and attempts to restore communication have been unsuccessful. The statement confirmed that the satellite has now lost power and it is likely unrecoverable.

Core mission to turn methane measurement data into action will continue(external link) — methanesat.org

Clearly this is a disappointing development. 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.

New Zealand has been a partner in the MethaneSAT mission since 2019, which is a collaboration with the US-based Environmental Defense Fund.

While the mission’s primary focus has been detecting and measuring global oil and gas emissions, New Zealand’s involvement extended the focus to a science programme to investigate the detection of methane emissions from agriculture and other sources.

New Zealand’s involvement in this mission reflects our commitment to advancing science, fostering innovation, and contributing to global knowledge. It has strengthened our expertise and space capability as a country.

The mission operations control centre, at the University of Auckland’s Te Pūnaha Ātea Space Institute, is currently being used to monitor and operate the University’s satellite TPA-1 launched on 23 June. The Institute will continue to be used as a training facility, and has positioned New Zealand well for taking on future missions.

Earth Sciences New Zealand, formerly NIWA, also has a wealth of agricultural data to work with.

During its lifetime, MethaneSAT made 97 measurements over agricultural targets around the world, across a range of different farming systems. This includes 13 measurements over New Zealand.

Emissions maps, ground-based methane observations and aircraft data funded through this project will shed light on New Zealand's methane emissions independent of the satellite.