Google-backed satellites for wildfire detection launch as smoke chokes US, Canada
The FireSat program can spot wildfires that other satellites miss.
The FireSat program can spot wildfires that other satellites miss.
The short version
- As smoke from hundreds of burning wildfires spread across Canada and the United States, the first three operational satellites in the Google-backed FireSat program successfully launched into orbit.
- The satellites will begin providing wildfire detection capable of spotting even small fires in the United States, Australia, and Europe before the end of the year.
- After a three-month testing period, the three satellites will begin actively providing data to fire agencies while covering every fire-prone region on Earth at least twice per day.
What happened
FireSat represents the first satellite constellation purpose-built for detecting wildfires, including spotting smaller fires that other satellites may miss. The satellites were designed by California-based satellite manufacturer Muon Space and have received over $15 million from Google to support initial deployment.
Why it matters
Other notable financial supporters include the Bezos Earth Fund that committed $26 million.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.