Google-backed FireSat satellites launch to detect wildfires as smoke blankets North America

The first three operational satellites of the Google-backed FireSat constellation launched on July 7, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California. Designed by Muon Space and supported by $15 million from Google and $26 million from the Bezos Earth Fund, the constellation is the first purpose-built for detecting wildfires, including small fires often missed by other satellites. After a three-month testing period, the satellites will begin providing data to fire agencies, covering fire-prone regions in the United States, Australia, and Europe at least twice daily.