Planet and Carbon Mapper Partner on Next-Generation Tanager Spacecraft
Planet Labs PBC has announced plans to develop a new, specialized version of its Tanager spacecraft in collaboration with Carbon Mapper and support from Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The upcoming satellite will be engineered specifically to enhance detection of methane and other trace gases, marking a significant evolution in hyperspectral Earth observation technology.
Unlike the original Tanager design, which captures a broad range of environmental data, the new spacecraft will focus exclusively on shortwave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths. This targeted approach is intended to significantly improve sensitivity to atmospheric gases while expanding coverage capabilities. The satellite is expected to image areas up to five times larger than existing Tanager systems, while maintaining a spatial resolution of 30 meters.
The system builds on technology developed through Carbon Mapper’s Advanced Emissions Monitoring Imaging Spectrometer (AEMIS), an airborne platform created in partnership with JPL. By concentrating on the most relevant spectral bands for emissions detection, the new satellite is designed to “zoom in” on gas signatures with greater precision, while also widening its observational swath to approximately 100 kilometers.
Scheduled for launch as early as 2028, the spacecraft will play a central role in Carbon Mapper’s broader monitoring architecture, which combines satellite and airborne data to track emissions at scale. The expanded capabilities are expected to support not only methane monitoring but also a range of commercial applications, including mineral exploration and wildfire detection.
This development builds on the success of the original Tanager mission, a collaboration that brought together Planet’s rapid spacecraft manufacturing capabilities with JPL’s remote sensing expertise and Carbon Mapper’s scientific leadership. Since its launch in 2024, the first Tanager satellite has already identified more than 11,000 methane plumes from nearly 5,000 sources worldwide, demonstrating the growing importance of high-resolution emissions data.
Looking ahead, Planet plans to expand the Tanager constellation with additional satellites, including both the original multi-spectrum design and the new SWIR-focused variant. Together, these systems are expected to provide more frequent and actionable insights, supporting efforts across climate monitoring, environmental protection, and resource management.
