The Headwall-equipped MethaneAIR project for the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) is back in the air!
Meet MethaneAIR from Environmental Defense Fund on Vimeo.
Headwall designed and delivered two high-resolution imaging spectrometers under the MethaneAIR project. The project extended Headwall’s work in the field of gas detection, which also includes solutions for NEC Space‘s HISUI (Hyperspectral Imager Suite) for the International Space Station, JAXA’s GOBLEU systems deployed on commercial aircraft, and GHGSat‘s CLAIRE-D satellite for remote-sensing of greenhouse-gas and AQG air-quality gas emissions.
MethaneAIR data were used to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the MethaneSAT program, funded by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The CfA is a Headwall partner in developing data solutions for this critical application area. Unfortunately scientists lost contact with MethaneSAT on 20 June 2025 possibly due to solar activity or a thruster issue. So, new missions this summer and fall have begun flying over U.S. oil and gas producing basins.