- Google-backed FireSat launched its first satellite to revolutionize wildfire detection, tracking fires as small as 16×16 feet. The satellite constellation will provide near-real-time data to first responders.
- FireSat’s network will update the entire planet every 20 minutes, significantly improving wildfire detection speed and emergency response.
- Google Research, Muon Space and the Earth Fire Alliance collaborated on the project, with $13 million in funding from Google.
Full Story
Wildfires burned nearly 270,000 acres in the U.S. in 2025, surpassing the 10-year average. Detecting fires early remains challenging, but FireSat, a Google-backed satellite project, aims to change that.
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The first FireSat satellite launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission, introducing AI-driven, near real-time wildfire monitoring.
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How does FireSat improve wildfire tracking?
Traditional wildfire tracking relies on low-resolution satellite imagery or costly aerial surveys, often delaying emergency response.
FireSat uses AI and infrared sensors to detect fires as small as 16 by 16 feet — about the size of a classroom — before they spread.
The system will analyze thermal signatures and compare them with past data. Then, AI will confirm fire activity faster and more accurately than current methods.
What impact will FireSat have on emergency response?
When fully operational in 2026, FireSat’s more than 50 satellites will update nearly the entire planet every 20 minutes.
The first three satellites will revisit locations twice daily, providing firefighters with high-resolution, AI-analyzed data to improve response times and contain fires before they grow.
Who is behind the project?
FireSat is a collaboration between Google Research, Muon Space, the Earth Fire Alliance, which is a nonprofit supported by Google.org, the Moore Foundation and other environmental groups.
Google invested $13 million through its AI Collaborative: Wildfires initiative to fund the project.
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What’s next for FireSat?
More satellites will launch in the coming years, expanding coverage and improving detection speed. FireSat aims to transform wildfire monitoring by providing faster, more precise data.
[craig nigrelli]
SO FAR IN 2025, WILDFIRES HAVE BURNED NEARLY 270,000 ACRES ACROSS THE U.S. DETECTING THEM QUICKLY REMAINS A CHALLENGE, BUT A NEW SATELLITE PROJECT AIMS TO CHANGE THAT. BACKED BY GOOGLE, THE FIRST FIRESAT SATELLITE IS NOW IN ORBIT, USING INFRARED SENSORS AND AI TO TRACK WILDFIRES IN NEAR REAL-TIME. IT CAN DETECT EVEN THE SMALLEST FLAMES BEFORE THEY SPREAD, GIVING FIREFIGHTERS A CRUCIAL ADVANTAGE.
LIFTING OFF ABOARD SPACEX’S TRANSPORTER-13 MISSION LAST WEEK FROM VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, THIS SATELLITE IS THE FIRST OF MORE THAN 50 PLANNED FOR GLOBAL WILDFIRE MONITORING.
FIRESAT CAN DETECT FLAMES AS SMALL AS 16-BY-16 FEET—ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A CLASSROOM.
WHEN FULLY OPERATIONAL IN 2026, IT WILL UPDATE NEARLY THE ENTIRE PLANET EVERY 20 MINUTES. THE INITIAL PHASE INCLUDES THREE SATELLITES, WHICH WILL REVISIT LOCATIONS TWICE PER DAY.
EXISTING WILDFIRE TRACKING METHODS HAVE LIMITATIONS. LOW-RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY AND COSTLY AERIAL SURVEYS OFTEN DELAY EMERGENCY RESPONSE. FIRESAT AIMS TO CLOSE THAT GAP BY PROVIDING HIGH-RESOLUTION, AI-ANALYZED DATA TO HELP AUTHORITIES RESPOND BEFORE FIRES ESCALATE. ITS SENSORS WILL DETECT THERMAL SIGNATURES, COMPARE THEM WITH PAST IMAGES, AND CONFIRM FIRE ACTIVITY WITH GREATER SPEED AND ACCURACY.
BEYOND EMERGENCY RESPONSE, FIRESAT WILL ADVANCE WILDFIRE RESEARCH. ITS DATA WILL HELP SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND FIRE BEHAVIOR AND CLIMATE IMPACTS, WHICH IS CRUCIAL AS WILDFIRES BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND INTENSE.
THE PROJECT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOOGLE RESEARCH, MUON (mew-on) SPACE, AND THE EARTH FIRE ALLIANCE, A NONPROFIT FUNDED BY GOOGLE.ORG, THE MOORE FOUNDATION, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS.
GOOGLE CONTRIBUTED $13 MILLION THROUGH THE AI COLLABORATIVE: WILDFIRES INITIATIVE— AND ORGANIZATION AIMED AT REDUCING THE IMPACT OF WILDFIRES USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
MORE SATELLITES WILL LAUNCH IN THE COMING YEARS, POSITIONING FIRESAT TO REVOLUTIONIZE HOW THE WORLD TRACKS AND MANAGES WILDFIRES.
FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY, OR LOG ON TO SAN.COM.
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Bias Summary
- Google's new FireSat constellation has launched its first satellite, marking a significant advancement in wildfire detection and monitoring.
- When fully operational, the constellation will have over 50 satellites observing the Earth's surface every 20 minutes.
- FireSat aims to detect wildfires as small as a classroom within 20 minutes, offering responders more time to contain them.
- The project team overcame challenges in distinguishing real fires from environmental noise.
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