{"id":223740,"date":"2026-01-08T19:39:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/223740\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T19:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:39:10","slug":"methanesat-failure-call-for-auditor-general-probe-after-30m-loss-in-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/223740\/","title":{"rendered":"MethaneSAT failure: Call for Auditor-General probe after $30m loss in space"},"content":{"rendered":"

The briefing states \u201cthis has increased the requirements for time on console [as opposed to simply being on call]\u201d and \u201cRocket Lab has been testing an automated system to reduce reliance on manual intervention\u201d.<\/p>\n

Another briefing document a couple of weeks later states, \u201cto date, Rocket Lab\u2019s automation to recover from persistent data recorder resets has been working\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWork is also underway to deploy a software patch from Blue Canyon Technologies, the satellite bus provider, to prevent these resets from occurring altogether. We may know by the end of the week if this has been successful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the solutions discussed above are successful, currently planned staffing levels may be sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an email to RNZ on October 4, 2024, MethaneSAT stated \u201cthere are no issues with the satellite or its data collection performance\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe MethaneSAT mission has been plagued by delays, first to its launch date and then to the arrival of its promised data about global methane emissions. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

University of Auckland Professor of Physics Richard Easther said the mission had clear issues, which they were working to fix at the same time they told RNZ there were no issues.<\/p>\n

He told Newstalk ZB, \u201cIt is widely suspected in the science community that MethaneSAT had not been fully honest in its media statements, but the ministerial briefings look like a smoking gun\u201d.<\/p>\n

Easther said MBIE always avoided giving a direct answer when asked if they backed the MethaneSAT statements.<\/p>\n

He believes there is a case for the Auditor-General to investigate the incident as he thinks MBIE\u2019s report<\/a> into MethaneSAT isn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is big contrast between that document and the Navy\u2019s report on the loss of the Manawanui, or the IPCA report on the McSkimming fiasco.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are both very blunt but can also be the start of restoring confidence in the organisations involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RichardRichard Easther says MBIE always avoided giving a direct answer, when asked if they backed the MethaneSAT statements. Photo \/ Chris Gorman<\/p>\n

New Zealand Space Agency deputy head Andrew Johnson said it was satisfied MethaneSAT LLC has been truthful and transparent.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a complex mission involving multiple partners there will always be differing technical views, and this was the case in this mission. Ultimately, the mission owner must decide the overall position.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson said the MBIE report into New Zealand\u2019s investment in the MethaneSAT mission highlighted key lessons for future space investments, including governance, contractual arrangements, and communication with the public.<\/p>\n

The report found MBIE could have done that which would have changed the outcome of the mission, but it could have communicated more clearly, Johnson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRedacted OIA responses and limited visibility into operational discussions and challenges undermined public confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

It recommends strengthening contractual leverage, ensuring direct relationships between key technical partners, and investing more in governance management.<\/p>\n

\"MethaneSATMethaneSAT was launched from Southern California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, but the satellite was to be controlled by Rocket Lab from its Auckland Mission Control where staff (pictured) monitored the take-off. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

Rocket Lab declined to comment.<\/p>\n

MethaneSAT LLC has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n

Lachlan Rennie is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist for Newstalk ZB covering science, Defence, technology, community issues and general news.<\/p>\n

He previously studied journalism at the New Zealand Broadcasting School before joining NZME in 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The briefing states \u201cthis has increased the requirements for time on console [as opposed to simply being on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":223741,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[112052,74,112460,3043,5842,133978,34893,42343,2082,78,15415,676,13620,2225,5836,1073,90456,6722,111,139,69,393,28758,16413,91131,4029,147,33397,392,53316,16349,93483,102],"class_list":["post-223740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-30m","tag-after","tag-auditorgeneral","tag-call","tag-calling","tag-conflicting","tag-documents","tag-failure","tag-for","tag-in","tag-information","tag-investigate","tag-leading","tag-loss","tag-lost","tag-media","tag-methanesat","tag-minister","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-physics","tag-probe","tag-professor","tag-provided","tag-satellite","tag-science","tag-situation","tag-space","tag-suggesting","tag-surrounding","tag-taxpayerfunded","tag-with"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223740"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223740\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}