The first three operational satellites in the Google-backed FireSat program launched into orbit on July 7, 2026, as smoke from wildfires spread across Canada and the United States.
The microsatellites lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Managed by the nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance, the satellites were designed by Muon Space and will undergo a three-month testing period before providing data to fire agencies.
Google provided more than $15 million for the project, while the Bezos Earth Fund committed $26 million. Each satellite uses multispectral imaging to detect fires as small as five by five meters, even through smoke and clouds. A prototype launched in March 2025 demonstrated the technology.
Early adopters include fire agencies in California, Colorado, Australia, and Portugal. The program aims for hourly global coverage by 2029 with a full constellation of more than 50 satellites.
