[Image courtesy of Google]
An unassuming rocket left Earth last Friday, but its payload might save lives and forests worldwide. Meet FireSat, an AI-enhanced satellite from Muon Space and the Earth Fire Alliance, with support from Google and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This high-tech system will routinely scan hotspots, spotting flames before they spread beyond a 5 × 5 meter patch of land (roughly 16 x 16 feet). With 50 satellites set to launch over the next few years, FireSat aims to give emergency teams an up-to-the-minute heads-up, one that could finally outpace fast-growing wildfires from California to Australia.
The first FireSat satellite (the “protoflight” mission) was scheduled for March 14, 2025 on a SpaceX Transporter-13 rideshare. The launch is part of a planned constellation that will provide updates every 20 minutes globally by 2030.
FireSat’s capabilities center on a custom six-band infrared sensor and onboard AI systems. Each satellite’s real-time data handling system analyzes multispectral IR imagery on the fly, flagging fresh ignitions and downlinking alerts within minutes. From a technological perspective, the project unites novel thermal imaging design (80-meter per-pixel IR data sharpened by advanced algorithms), rapid data processing (both onboard and on the ground), and high-frequency global coverage (with plans to drop to as little as nine minutes in fire-prone regions once all 50 satellites deploy).
Partnerships and funding structure
Google.org has provided $13 million in funding to support the work that the Earth Fire Alliance leads, a non-profit established to launch the FireSat constellation in partnership with the Moore Foundation. Muon Space manufactures and operates the satellite hardware, including the custom infrared payload. Additional funding from the Moore Foundation, Minderoo, and the Environmental Defense Fund supports broader development. The U.S. Forest Service will collaborate on integrating FireSat data to expand existing work on fire simulation. Future costs for the full constellation are projected as high as $4 billion. Philanthropic and potential public funding could help provide support.
Three additional satellites are planned for 2026, marking the first operational phase and enabling at least twice-daily coverage. FireSat’s detection approach incorporates comparisons with prior IR images to identify anomalies and potential new ignitions. The system factors in real-time weather patterns, known industrial sources, and other infrastructure data to reduce false alarms. Initial detections occur onboard each satellite, while further validation and modeling happen on ground-based servers to improve accuracy before alerts are disseminated.
Comparison with existing fire detection systems
Legacy satellite tools like MODIS, VIIRS, and GOES often require larger fire footprints and can have revisit intervals of several hours. Ground networks of lookout cameras or aerial patrols have limited nighttime and remote-area visibility. FireSat’s 24-hour global coverage, combined with multi-satellite passes, is intended to identify smaller fires earlier than these existing alternatives can.
Efforts such as OroraTech in Germany and the Canadian WildFireSat project have launched or announced thermal-sensing satellites for fire detection. FireSat operates under a non-profit governance model with open-access data, whereas some other programs use commercial or region-specific approaches. This strategy differentiates FireSat in terms of its intended global coverage and public distribution of fire alerts.
Muon Space, an end-to-end space systems provider, has successfully launched the FireSat Protoflight satellite, marking a significant milestone in the deployment of the FireSat constellation.
Muon Space helped launch the FireSate satellite
Long-term goals
The resulting data is expected to feed predictive modeling tools that forecast fire spread and intensity. Beyond emergency response efforts, scientists will access this data to improve wildfire behavior modeling, representing an unprecedented resource for understanding fire growth patterns. Access will be offered through an open-data platform, allowing rapid dissemination to response agencies and enabling further research applications.
Each FireSat satellite is expected to operate for three to five years, requiring periodic replacement to maintain continuous coverage. The team anticipates exploring collaboration with government agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service or NASA, to support ongoing launches and operations. If the data proves effective in mitigating wildfire impacts, further agency partnerships and investments may emerge to sustain the constellation.