First ‘FireSat’ satellite in Google’s wildfire detection plan in orbit, Sundar Pichai thanks SpaceX—All you need to know

Google Research's tech initiative for early detection of wildfires has seen its first successful step — the launch of its first ‘FireSat’ satellite into Earth orbit on March 17. Celebrating the milestone on social media platform X, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai shouted out the partners and extended a “special thanks” to Elon Musk's SpaceX for the ride into orbit.

FireSat: First of Over 50 Satellites Launched, Says Sundar Pichai

“We have liftoff! After a successful launch this weekend, the first FireSat satellite is now orbiting Earth,” Sundar Pichai wrote. “It’s the first of a 50+ satellite constellation that will help detect + track wildfires as small as 5x5 meters, using AI,” he added.

Sundar Pichai went on to give “huge thanks” to research and funding partners Muon Space, Earth Fire Alliance and the Moore Foundation. Adding, “.., and special thanks to SpaceX for the ride!” with a photo of the satellite on the launch pad.

Here's all you need to know about ‘FireSat’, Google Research and its non-profit partners' tech-infused wildfire detection initiative.

FireSat: All You Need to Know

• FireSat is a collaboration between Google Research, satellite manufacturer Muon Space, non-profit Earth Fire Alliance, scientific support organisation Moore Foundation, United States wildfire authorities and others, Google said in its blogpost on the topic.
• FireSat comprises more than 50 Earth-orbitting satellites in a first-of-its-kind constellation designed to use AI to detect and track wildfires as small as a classroom (roughly 5x5 meters).

• Funding for the constellation’s first satellites comes in part from Google.org, which has provided $13 million through the AI Collaborative: Wildfires. The project aims to harness AI’s potential in reducing the economic, humanitarian and environmental damages from catastrophic wildfires.
• The first satellite was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard SpaceX's Transporter-13 mission.
• Why this initiative? As per the blogpost, at present, many wildfire authorities depend on satellite imagery that’s low-resolution or only updated a few times a day. FireSat will advance the science and practice of fighting wildfires by providing high-resolution imagery updated globally every 20 minutes, helping emergency responders catch wildfires before they become destructive.