Google funds satellite and AI project to detect forest fires
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 7:20 am
A Google -funded initiative has a bold goal to reduce wildfires on Earth. The idea behind the Earth Fire Alliance is to monitor the planet from above, using a constellation of satellites that are always on alert.
The alliance was unveiled in May 2024, with concerns about climate-related wildfires in regions such as the United States, Australia and southern Europe. Google.org announced a $13 million investment in the program , which should help it meet its deadline.
The project involves not only the company, but also the Moore Foundation, the Environmental Defense Fund and satellite manufacturer Muon Space. The idea is for the first of these to be launched into space and begin operating as early as 2025 .
How Satellites Search for Fires
Just as Starlink provides internet signal to any rcs database of the Earth, the idea of the Earth Fire Alliance satellites is to be always vigilant and have global coverage.
The constellation of 52 satellites promises to have images updated every 20 minutes or even less , depending on the resolution. Thanks to the monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) tools provided by Google and improved by its partners , they are able to find fires in areas of at least 5 m² .
After identifying the fire, the alliance will provide the images free of charge to the responsible agencies in each country, along with alerts with the precise location of the phenomenon. Other agencies will also be able to use the data, such as land management and agriculture. Governments will only have access to the data if the use involves combating climate change. The first launch will probably be made by a SpaceX rocket , with three more launches scheduled for 2026. For now, there is no forecast for when all the satellites will be in space.
The alliance was unveiled in May 2024, with concerns about climate-related wildfires in regions such as the United States, Australia and southern Europe. Google.org announced a $13 million investment in the program , which should help it meet its deadline.
The project involves not only the company, but also the Moore Foundation, the Environmental Defense Fund and satellite manufacturer Muon Space. The idea is for the first of these to be launched into space and begin operating as early as 2025 .
How Satellites Search for Fires
Just as Starlink provides internet signal to any rcs database of the Earth, the idea of the Earth Fire Alliance satellites is to be always vigilant and have global coverage.
The constellation of 52 satellites promises to have images updated every 20 minutes or even less , depending on the resolution. Thanks to the monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) tools provided by Google and improved by its partners , they are able to find fires in areas of at least 5 m² .
After identifying the fire, the alliance will provide the images free of charge to the responsible agencies in each country, along with alerts with the precise location of the phenomenon. Other agencies will also be able to use the data, such as land management and agriculture. Governments will only have access to the data if the use involves combating climate change. The first launch will probably be made by a SpaceX rocket , with three more launches scheduled for 2026. For now, there is no forecast for when all the satellites will be in space.