This is a podcast for the World Space Week 2024, which has the theme: Space and Climate Change.
Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, a principal scientist at the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in New Zealand, discussed the MethaneSAT mission, the first international space mission New Zealand has officially participated in. Funded by charitable donations and led by the Environmental Defense Fund, the mission aims to quantify and map agricultural emissions globally from space. The satellite launched recently, and initial data from New Zealand were collected, validated through ground-based and aircraft measurements. Sara emphasises the role of space in monitoring climate change, particularly methane leaks from oil and gas, and highlights the importance of global observations for effective climate action.
Outline
- MethaneSAT Mission Overview
- Satellite Launch and Initial Data Collection
- Space and Climate Change
- Tracking Emissions and National Inventories
- Team Dynamics and Daily Work
- Challenges and Future of Climate Science
- Hope for the Future
THE WORLD SPACE WEEK ASSOCIATION PODCAST SERIES
A series of conversations with visionary thinkers and doers, sharing their unique insights and aspirations for the future of humanity beyond Earth — made possible with the support of the World Space Week Association.
World Space Week Association Podcasting Team
Host and producer: Haritina Mogoșanu, Co-host: Samuel Leske, Milky-Way.Kiwi
Special thanks to– Milky-Way.Kiwi and New Zealand Astrobiology Network for the recording equipment and time.– Rhian Sheehan for the music: "An afternoon on the Moon"
The podcasts have been produced for the global World Space Week network.
