California Launches Tanager-2 Satellite to Expand Methane Tracking Capabilities
California secured a critical upgrade to its environmental monitoring apparatus on Thursday with the successful launch of its second methane-tracking satellite from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc. Built by the Pasadena-based nonprofit Carbon Mapper, which partners with the state, the new spacecraft allows the nonprofit to check twice as often for invisible greenhouse gas plumes across landfills, oil and gas infrastructure, and manure pits at dairy operations.
Methane is a potent climate pollutant that traps heat at roughly 80 times the rate of carbon dioxide over a decade-plus lifespan in the atmosphere. Under state climate mandates, California must reduce its methane emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Landfills currently account for about 41% of the state’s total methane footprint, while livestock operations contribute approximately 26%. While livestock emissions are not yet directly regulated, state agencies actively monitor industrial sites to curb large releases.
Orbital Mechanics and Enhanced Observation Frequency
The newly launched Tanager-2 functions as a replica of the original Tanager-1 satellite, which launched in August 2024 in partnership with the satellite company Planet Labs and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. However, the new spacecraft operates on a distinct orbit. While Tanager-1 crosses the equator around noon each day, Tanager-2 crosses at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Carbon Mapper chief executive Riley Duren noted that while a single satellite previously limited observations to about three times a week, a planned constellation of four or more satellites will enable multiple daily scans of identical geographic regions. Satellite sensors detect methane by measuring wavelengths of light reflecting off the earth’s surface, pinpointing facility-level leaks within 50 meters.
Regulatory Enforcement and Real-World Impact
The California Air Resources Board receives imagery data within 48 hours of capture, issuing notices to operators when escaping gas is detected. Since the agency began utilizing this satellite data in May 2025, it has successfully addressed at least 18 major methane leaks, preventing more than 142,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering the atmosphere—an environmental savings comparable to removing roughly 32,000 gas-powered vehicles from the road for a year.
Lindsay Buckley, spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board, emphasized the operational value of the frequent updates. “This means we can make observations at more locations and more frequently at existing locations,” Buckley stated, highlighting a swift August repair at a 918-kg-per-hour leak in the Midway-Sunset Oil and Gas field in Kern County. Carbon Mapper continues to partner with 11 other states, though California is the only state with a program that sends out notices to enforce its regulations.
