Tanager-1

Tanager-1 Satellite

Purpose

Track methane and carbon dioxide emissions

Development

Developed by a coalition including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Launch Vehicle

Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket

Technology

Imaging spectrometer technology to measure light wavelengths reflected by Earth’s surface

Functionality

Identifies unique spectral fingerprints of gases like methane and carbon dioxide

Coverage

Scans 130,000 square kilometers of Earth’s surface daily

Application

Pinpoints emission sources, including individual facilities

Significance

Data is crucial for accelerating efforts to mitigate harmful emissions

Why Track Methane Emissions?

Potency

Methane is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period

Contribution to Warming

Responsible for 30% of global warming since the Industrial Revolution

Health Impact

Contributes to ground-level ozone, causing about one million premature deaths yearly

Main Source

Fossil fuel operations, contributing to 40% of human-caused methane emissions

Importance of Reduction

Reducing methane emissions is crucial to slowing climate change and improving air quality

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. It is designed to track Hydrogen and carbon dioxide emissions from Earth's surface.
2. It was developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in collaboration with various organizations.
3. The satellite utilizes imaging spectrometer technology to identify the unique spectral fingerprints of various gases.

Which of the above-given statements about Tanager-1 satellite is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2, and 3

Answer: B