Google Backs Privately Funded Satellite Constellation For Wildfire Detection
(Tuesday September 17, 2024 @03:00AM (BeauHD)
from the high-res-imagery dept.)
- Reference: 0175013197
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/09/17/0442204/google-backs-privately-funded-satellite-constellation-for-wildfire-detection
- Source link:
Google's philanthropic arm is partially funding a new initiative that "aims to deploy more than 50 small satellites in low-Earth orbit to [1]pinpoint flare-ups as small as a classroom anywhere in the world ," reports Ars Technica. From the report:
> The FireSat constellation, managed by a nonprofit called Earth Fire Alliance (EFA), will be the first satellite fleet dedicated to detecting and tracking wildfires. Google announced a fresh investment of $13 million in the FireSat constellation Monday, building on the tech giant's previous contributions to support the development of custom infrared sensors for the FireSat satellites. Google's funding commitment will maintain the schedule for the launch of the first FireSat pathfinder satellite next year, EFA said. The first batch of satellites to form an operational constellation could launch in 2026.
>
> The FireSat satellites will be built by Muon Space, a California-based satellite manufacturing startup. Each of the Muon Space-built microsatellites will have six-band multispectral infrared instruments, eyeing a swath of Earth some 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) wide, to pinpoint hotspots from wildfires. The satellites will have the sensitivity to find wildfires as small as 16 by 16 feet (5 by 5 meters). The network will use Google AI to rapidly compare observations ofany area of this size with previous imagery to determine if there is a fire, according to Google. AI will also take into account factors like nearby infrastructure and local weather in each fire assessment.
>
> Google said it validated its detection model for smaller fires and established a baseline dataset for the AI by flying sensors over controlled burns. FireSat's partners announced the constellation in May after five years of development. The Environmental Defense Fund, the Moore Foundation, and the Minderoo Foundation also support the FireSat program. After detecting a wildfire, it's crucial for FireSat to quickly disseminate the location and size of a fire to emergency responders. With the first three satellites, the FireSat constellation will observe every point on Earth at least twice per day. "At full capability with 50+ satellites, the revisit times for most of the globe improve to 20 minutes, with the most wildfire-prone regions benefitting from sampling intervals as short as nine minutes," Muon Space [2]said in a statement .
"Today's announcement marks a significant milestone and step towards transforming the way we interact with fire," Earth Fire Alliance said in a statement. "As fires become more intense, and spread faster, we believe radical collaboration is key to driving much needed innovation in fire management and climate action."
[1] https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/google-backs-privately-funded-satellite-constellation-for-wildfire-detection/
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/earthfirealliance_a-breakthrough-in-wildfire-detection-how-activity-7241440398156394496-kw1c
> The FireSat constellation, managed by a nonprofit called Earth Fire Alliance (EFA), will be the first satellite fleet dedicated to detecting and tracking wildfires. Google announced a fresh investment of $13 million in the FireSat constellation Monday, building on the tech giant's previous contributions to support the development of custom infrared sensors for the FireSat satellites. Google's funding commitment will maintain the schedule for the launch of the first FireSat pathfinder satellite next year, EFA said. The first batch of satellites to form an operational constellation could launch in 2026.
>
> The FireSat satellites will be built by Muon Space, a California-based satellite manufacturing startup. Each of the Muon Space-built microsatellites will have six-band multispectral infrared instruments, eyeing a swath of Earth some 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) wide, to pinpoint hotspots from wildfires. The satellites will have the sensitivity to find wildfires as small as 16 by 16 feet (5 by 5 meters). The network will use Google AI to rapidly compare observations ofany area of this size with previous imagery to determine if there is a fire, according to Google. AI will also take into account factors like nearby infrastructure and local weather in each fire assessment.
>
> Google said it validated its detection model for smaller fires and established a baseline dataset for the AI by flying sensors over controlled burns. FireSat's partners announced the constellation in May after five years of development. The Environmental Defense Fund, the Moore Foundation, and the Minderoo Foundation also support the FireSat program. After detecting a wildfire, it's crucial for FireSat to quickly disseminate the location and size of a fire to emergency responders. With the first three satellites, the FireSat constellation will observe every point on Earth at least twice per day. "At full capability with 50+ satellites, the revisit times for most of the globe improve to 20 minutes, with the most wildfire-prone regions benefitting from sampling intervals as short as nine minutes," Muon Space [2]said in a statement .
"Today's announcement marks a significant milestone and step towards transforming the way we interact with fire," Earth Fire Alliance said in a statement. "As fires become more intense, and spread faster, we believe radical collaboration is key to driving much needed innovation in fire management and climate action."
[1] https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/google-backs-privately-funded-satellite-constellation-for-wildfire-detection/
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/earthfirealliance_a-breakthrough-in-wildfire-detection-how-activity-7241440398156394496-kw1c
Worth throwing tech at (Score:3)
This seems like something that is worth throwing tech at. There was [1]a trial recently [lancsfirerescue.org.uk] using drones to monitor and suppress wildfires over here. Obviously it would take a lot of drones to cover the same area as a satellite, but on the other hand drones can detect smaller/earlier fires, and potentially put them out, which satellites can't do. I guess you might want to use a satellite constellation for 24/7/365 monitoring, and also deploy a drone fleet in the highest risk places during peak wildfire season.
[1] https://www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/news-and-events/lancashire-fire-and-rescue-service-tests-drones-with-windracers-for-wildfire-prevention
Re: (Score:2)
If you had many satellites, flew them low enough where the atmosphere isn't too far down, and had them equipped with water tanks, you could probably get them to release water with enough pressure facing backwards, timed right to get the water to fall onto the fire, extinguishing it. You would have to plan replenishment missions, and account for wind at altitude. Probably take an entire orbit worth of satellites expelling water to extinguish a moderate fire too.
Re: (Score:2)
Either that or the tiny squirt of water would just evaporate on the several hundred mile drop, while the satellite would then have to contend with the delta-v the departing water would have left it as a parting gift. Not really seeing this as a viable plan.
Re: (Score:1)
Some guy camping, probably: "Hey, I don't remember rain in the forecast... NO! My campfire!!"