The Bezos Earth Fund has invested $26 million in the FireSat program, a satellite constellation built by Muon Space for the non-profit Earth Fire Alliance. The system uses infrared sensors to spot fires as small as a beach bonfire within minutes of ignition, providing near real time data to fire agencies. The goal is to detect fires before they burn out of control, protecting homes and ecosystems while reducing wildfire related carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 5 to 10 percent each year. The first three satellites launch this summer and will monitor critical regions like the Amazon Basin at least twice daily. By 2029 the constellation aims to detect fires as small as 15 by 15 feet anywhere on Earth within an hour. When fully operational in the early 2030s with about 50 satellites, FireSat will monitor every point on the planet every 20 minutes or less. This represents a major step in using space based technology for climate mitigation and disaster response.
