Saratoga, California — California has launched the first three satellites in a new orbiting system designed to detect wildfires while they are still small, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday. The FireSat network is a partnership with Earth Fire Alliance, a global nonprofit coalition.
The satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base and were built by Muon Space, a California-based manufacturer. They are described as the first satellite system built specifically to spot wildfires, using frequent high-resolution imagery to identify and monitor blazes in real time.
The three spacecraft will begin delivering data within months after a roughly three-month period of testing and calibration. The goal is a full constellation of more than 50 satellites by 2030, scanning the entire planet every 20 minutes and catching fires as small as a schoolyard before they grow.
Newsom framed the launch as a contrast with federal wildfire-prevention funding, saying California is investing in technology and science to protect communities that live with the threat of fire each summer.