Our Changing World Detecting cow burps from space

In March 2024, a satellite built to detect the potent greenhouse gas methane launched into orbit â€" backed by New Zealand to the tune of $30 million. MethaneSAT aimed to pinpoint large leaks from oil and gas fields, since plugging these is considered an easy climate win. But an add-on mission was investigating whether the satellite could pick up the smaller, more diffuse methane emissions from agriculture. Our Changing World joined the New Zealand-based team testing this capability â€" before disaster struck. With MethaneSAT uncontactable and lost in space, what did the mission deliver?