Space Business Podcast #150 | Methane Monitoring | Daria Stepanova, Airmo
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Aug 27, 2025 Daria Stepanova, Founder and CEO of Airmo, is pioneering methane monitoring through cutting-edge LiDAR technology. She discusses the urgent need for transparency in greenhouse gas emissions and how Airmo's instruments can detect minute leaks. The conversation shifts to the shift from aerial to satellite monitoring and the implications of regulations on energy sector reporting. Daria also shares insights into the future of remote sensing, exploring commercial applications and exciting possibilities while emphasizing collaborations in the evolving space sector.
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Mission: Daily Global Methane Transparency
- Airmo combines sensors and processing to track methane from drones, planes and future satellites.
- Their goal is a 12-satellite constellation for daily global methane monitoring down to facility level.
Dual-Instrument Advantage
- Airmo pairs a shortwave infrared spectrometer with an atmospheric LiDAR to improve methane detection accuracy.
- Combining spectral and aerosol-layer data increases usable monitoring scenarios and reliability.
Competitive Sensitivity In Small Form
- Airmo's first satellite aims to detect methane at ~10-12 ppm sensitivity, comparable to large government missions in many cases.
- Their system maintains sensitivity across more surface and atmospheric conditions than existing small-form instruments.
