New Tanager Satellite to Expand Methane Detection Coverage Fivefold
Specialized SWIR-Only Spacecraft Targets 2028 Launch Under Carbon Mapper Agreement
A new agreement to design and build a specialized hyperspectral satellite capable of covering five times the area of existing Tanager spacecraft has been signed by Planet Labs PBC and Carbon Mapper, with technical support from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“By growing the Tanager constellation, we plan to further demonstrate our ability to build cutting-edge spacecraft quickly and efficiently.”
Jeff Guido, Planet
The new satellite, an evolution of the Tanager platform, will be optimized solely for shortwave infrared (SWIR) light — the spectral range most relevant for detecting methane and other trace atmospheric gases. Unlike the original Tanager-1, which covers a broader visible and near-infrared-to-SWIR spectrum suited for applications ranging from geologic mineralogy to agricultural analysis, the SWIR-only variant is designed specifically to push the sensitivity limits of emissions detection from orbit.
The spacecraft’s imaging swath is planned to reach 62 miles (100 km) while maintaining a 98-foot (30-meter) ground sample distance. That combination of wide area coverage and fine resolution is intended to fill critical gaps in Carbon Mapper’s long-planned tiered observing system, complementing both existing aerial assets and the original Tanager satellite constellation already in development. Together, the different tiers are designed to deliver consistent, scalable monitoring that bridges the gap between localized aerial surveys and broad but lower-sensitivity satellite measurements.
The SWIR-only design draws directly on Carbon Mapper’s Advanced Emissions Monitoring Imaging Spectrometer (AEMIS) airborne system, developed in partnership with JPL. AEMIS is built to optimize performance by concentrating on the narrow spectral bands most relevant for atmospheric gas detection — effectively “zooming in” on the signature wavelengths of methane and other trace gases. That approach, proven in airborne operations, will now be adapted for a space-based platform designed to operate continuously over wide geographic areas.
“Already a first-of-its-kind partnership, our long-standing collaboration with Carbon Mapper and JPL continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with hyperspectral technology,” said Jeff Guido, VP of Space Mission Delivery at Planet. “By growing the Tanager constellation, we plan to further demonstrate our ability to build cutting-edge spacecraft quickly and efficiently, which continues to hold enormous value for our global customers and partners.”
Slated for launch as early as 2028, the SWIR-only Tanager will serve as a core element of Carbon Mapper’s space-based observation tier. It is designed to work alongside at least three additional original-design Tanager satellites — which cover both visible near-infrared and SWIR bands — that Planet also intends to build and deploy. Together, the expanded constellation aims to deliver more frequent, higher-fidelity data for methane monitoring as well as commercial applications including biodiversity assessment, water quality monitoring, fire fuel mapping, fire source detection, and mineral exploration.
The collaboration’s origins trace to the original Tanager mission, which combined Planet’s agile satellite manufacturing approach with JPL’s remote sensing expertise and Carbon Mapper’s scientific capabilities. That partnership produced Tanager-1, launched in August 2024. Since becoming operational, Tanager-1 has identified more than 11,000 methane plumes from nearly 5,000 sources around the world, establishing the platform as a significant tool in global emissions monitoring.
The latest agreement adds a specialized layer to that capability. Where the original Tanager design offers broad-spectrum environmental insight, the SWIR-only variant is intended to deliver higher sensitivity and greater area coverage in the spectral bands most directly tied to atmospheric emissions monitoring — addressing the gap between what airborne surveys can cover and what is needed for consistent, wide-scale surveillance from space.
Planet is a public benefit corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker PL.