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Bezos-backed Methane-tracking Satellite Lost in Space

US Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos leave the Aman Hotel for lunch a day after their wedding in Venice on June 28, 2025. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP)
US Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos leave the Aman Hotel for lunch a day after their wedding in Venice on June 28, 2025. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP)
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Bezos-backed Methane-tracking Satellite Lost in Space

US Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos leave the Aman Hotel for lunch a day after their wedding in Venice on June 28, 2025. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP)
US Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos leave the Aman Hotel for lunch a day after their wedding in Venice on June 28, 2025. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP)

A satellite backed by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been lost in space while carrying out an important climate change mission, New Zealand officials said Wednesday.

Designed to measure greenhouse gas emissions with "unprecedented resolution", the MethaneSAT space probe was also funded by Wellington and the US-based Environmental Defense Fund.

Plagued with technical problems, the satellite recently stopped responding to its Earth-bound controllers.

"Clearly, this is a disappointing development," said Andrew Johnson, a senior official at the New Zealand Space Agency.

"As those who work in the space sector know, space is inherently challenging, and every attempt -- successful or not -- pushes the boundaries of what we know and what we're capable of."

The Environmental Defense Fund, which led the project, said it was "difficult news" but would not be the end of its methane-tracking efforts.

MethaneSAT was designed to measure emissions of the potent greenhouse gas, which fuels climate change by trapping heat in the planet's atmosphere.

It has proven notoriously difficult to get accurate estimates of the methane emissions belched out by oil and gas projects around the globe.

"It was one of the most advanced methane tracking satellites in space, measuring methane emissions in oil and gas producing regions across the world," the MethaneSAT team said.

Project lead Steven Hamburg said initial data gleaned by the satellite was "remarkable".
"Recent measurements in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico revealed emissions three to five times higher than estimated by the US Environmental Protection Agency, while emissions observed in the South Caspian region are over 10 times higher than reported," Hamburg wrote on LinkedIn.

MethaneSAT was launched into space in March 2024 on the back of a SpaceX rocket fired from California.

Controllers first lost contact with the satellite on June 20, the MethaneSAT team said in a statement.

They confirmed it had lost all power on Monday this week and was "likely not recoverable".

"The engineering team is conducting a thorough investigation into the loss of communication," MethaneSAT said, according to AFP.

"This is expected to take time. We will share what we learn."

Despite its shorter-than-expected lifespan, MethaneSAT hailed the mission as a "remarkable success in terms of scientific and technological accomplishment".

Amazon founder Bezos pumped more than US$100 million into the project through his philanthropic Earth Fund.

The satellite eventually succumbed after overcoming a string of technical glitches.
It repeatedly entered a sleep, or stand-by, mode without prompting -- forcing engineers to perform a lengthy reset each time.

One of its three thrusters also failed.

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Northern Japan Hit by Deadly Snowfall, as Warnings Issued on More Heavy Snow

People clear snow near a building in Aomori, northern Japan, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
People clear snow near a building in Aomori, northern Japan, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Northern Japan Hit by Deadly Snowfall, as Warnings Issued on More Heavy Snow

People clear snow near a building in Aomori, northern Japan, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
People clear snow near a building in Aomori, northern Japan, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)

Heavy snow battering northern Japan in the last two weeks has been blamed in 35 deaths nationwide so far, including people suffering sudden heart attacks or slipping while shoveling snow, government officials said Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, 15 prefectures have been affected, with the amount of snow piled up in the worst hit areas estimated to have reached 2 meters (6.5 feet).

The biggest number of snow-related fatalities, at 12 people, was reported in Niigata Prefecture, a rice-growing region in northern Japan, including a man in his 50s who was found collapsed on the roof of his home in Uonuma city on Jan. 21.

In Nagaoka city, a man in his 70s was spotted collapsed in front of his home and rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is believed to have fallen from the roof while raking snow, according to the Niigata government.

Japan’s chief government spokesperson warned that, although the weather was getting warmer, more danger could lie ahead because snow would start melting, resulting in landslides and slippery surfaces.

“Please do pay close attention to your safety, wearing a helmet or using a lifeline rope, especially when working on clearing snow,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters.

Various task forces were set up to respond to the heavy snow in Niigata and nearby regions, which began Jan. 20. Seven snow-related deaths have been reported in Akita Prefecture and five in Yamagata Prefecture.

Injuries nationwide numbered 393, including 126 serious injuries, 42 of them in Niigata. Fourteen homes were damaged, three in Niigata and eight in Aomori Prefecture.

The reason behind the heavy snowfall is unclear. But deaths and accidents related to heavy snow are not uncommon in Japan, with 68 deaths reported over the six winter months the previous year, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

More heavy snow is forecast for the coming weekend.

Varieties

Penny the Doberman Pinscher Wins the 150th Westminster Dog Show

A Doberman named Penny sits next to the awards after winning the "Best in Show" competition at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York City, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)
A Doberman named Penny sits next to the awards after winning the "Best in Show" competition at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York City, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)
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Penny the Doberman Pinscher Wins the 150th Westminster Dog Show

A Doberman named Penny sits next to the awards after winning the "Best in Show" competition at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York City, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)
A Doberman named Penny sits next to the awards after winning the "Best in Show" competition at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York City, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)

The dog was Penny. The win was priceless.

A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, netting US show dogs’ most coveted prize — and giving veteran handler Andy Linton another win after nearly four decades. Linton got best in show in 1989 with another Doberman, named Indy.

Penny “is as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” Linton told a supportive crowd. Despite health problems, he guided the 4-year-old dog through an impeccably crisp performance.

“I had some goals, and this was one of them,” Linton said, adding later in a conversation with reporters that as he's winding down his career, winning at the milestone 150th annual Westminster show is “extra-special.”

Runner-up — and cheers just as loud — went to a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Cota. While Dobermans have won five times including Tuesday, no retriever has ever won, and their fans applaud every encouraging sign.

Cota also seemed to enjoy the moment, particularly when his handler, Devon Kipp Levy, let him play with the ribbon.

Other finalists included an Afghan hound named Zaida, a Lhasa apso called JJ, a Maltese named Cookie, an old English sheepdog dubbed Graham and a smooth fox terrier called Wager. The judge, two-time Westminster-winning handler David Fitzpatrick, called the lineup one “that will go down in history.”

Each dog is assessed according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. The winner gets a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights.

A crowd favorite at the 2025 Westminster show, Penny has rocked show rings since. A throng of handlers and other dog folk cheered for the seemingly undistractable dog and for Linton in early-round action Tuesday afternoon.

Ringside afterward, Penny politely but pointedly nudged her nose into a visitor’s leg, looking for something — pets, as it turned out. She's generally “very chill,” Linton said later, “but she can get pretty pumped up for a bad guy. Or a squirrel.”

Co-owner Greg Chan of Toronto said Penny is “very demanding and very smart,” but she’s also “a pleaser — she’ll do anything for food.” (Her favorite snack? “Everything.”)

Penny came out on top after 2,500 dogs, spanning more than 200 breeds, strutted their stuff at the show.

Even if they didn't make the finals, there were plenty that scored meme-able moments or lightened up the crowd.

Over two nights of semifinals, spectators cheered extra-loud for a Xoloitzcuintli named Calaco, a hairless dog who went around the ring like he had nothing to prove. A vizsla named Beamer charmed the audience by hopping into a box set out for his handler's tools, and Storm the Newfoundland got laughs when he jumped up on his handler, standing as tall as she.

Spectators cheered so loud for a golden retriever named Oliver that they drowned out the arena's announcer, and chants of “Lumpy! Lumpy!” resounded as Lumpy the Pekingese strolled before a judge.

One dog that made history in the semifinals was Millie, a Danish-Swedish farmdog. The small, spry breed just became eligible for the Westminster show this year, and Millie bested about 10 other farmdogs Tuesday afternoon to get to the evening round.

Varieties

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla, Astrophotographers Launch Initiative to Strengthen Global Astrotourism Profile

Implemented under the “AlUla Manara” umbrella, the initiative supports RCU's objectives to protect the night sky. SPA
Implemented under the “AlUla Manara” umbrella, the initiative supports RCU's objectives to protect the night sky. SPA
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Saudi Arabia’s AlUla, Astrophotographers Launch Initiative to Strengthen Global Astrotourism Profile

Implemented under the “AlUla Manara” umbrella, the initiative supports RCU's objectives to protect the night sky. SPA
Implemented under the “AlUla Manara” umbrella, the initiative supports RCU's objectives to protect the night sky. SPA

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Governorate launched a new initiative in collaboration with leading astrophotographers to highlight its position as a global destination for sustainable astrotourism, as part of the Royal Commission for AlUla's (RCU) efforts to showcase the governorate’s natural and environmental assets.

Implemented under the “AlUla Manara” umbrella, the initiative supports RCU's objectives to protect the night sky, document its exceptional clarity and low light pollution levels, and develop distinctive astrotourism experiences for astronomy and stargazing enthusiasts from within the Kingdom and abroad.

The initiative brought together national and Arab specialists in astrophotography, contributing to enhanced documentation quality, the exchange of technical and scientific expertise, and the development of professional practices in the field.

It focuses on producing scientific and documentary content that highlights AlUla's astronomical features, strengthening its presence on the global map of dark-sky destinations while building a local knowledge base and raising awareness of the importance of preserving the night sky as a natural and cultural resource.

Among the participants was Saudi astrophotographer Abobaker Abdullah Basudan, who documented a range of celestial scenes, taking advantage of AlUla’s clear skies and minimal light pollution.

Using advanced astronomical cameras, telescopes, and star trackers, he captured scenes including the Orion constellation and its famous nebulae, as well as meteors and faint celestial objects.

His work earned him first place nationwide in the “Abaad” competition launched by the Saudi Space Agency, reflecting the growth of national talent in space sciences and astrophotography.

The RCU's efforts have led to several sites in the governorate receiving Dark Sky designations, including AlUla Manara and AlGharameel Reserve, the first accredited Dark Sky sites in the Kingdom and the Gulf region.

Sharaan Nature and Wadi Nakhlah Nature reserves also received the designation under international standards aimed at reducing light pollution and protecting the night sky.

These achievements position AlUla as one of the world’s leading astrotourism destinations, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to diversify income sources and enhance the Kingdom’s cultural and scientific standing globally.