Methane Gas Detected by Tiny Earth-Observing Satellite; Are the Leaks Signs of Energy Sabotage by Russia?

Yesterday, European leaders reported the discovery of three separate leaks in two Baltic pipelines called Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, constructed to carry natural gas from Russia to Germany.

As specified in a Space.com report, the effects of a possible act of energy sabotage "are visible from space."

Such leaks sent methane gas streaming to the Baltic Sea surface, producing bubbly white patches that resemble churning hurricanes.

Early this week, a small Earth-observing satellite could spot one of these scenic signatures, the patch on top of the Nord Stream 2 breach, which is lying just southeast the Bornholm Island of Denmark.

Dove Satellite CubeSat

The satellite known as "Dove," a CubeSat developed by Planet. The San Francisco-based firm is presently operating a fleet of roughly 200 Doves, each of which is just the size similar to a shoebox but can resolve features as tiny as 10 feet on the surface of Earth.

Perhaps, the Dove saw evidence of sabotage, some European leaders claimed. Government officials and researchers have said it would be very unlikely for a pair of pipelines to spring three leaks almost simultaneously without human intervention of some kind.

Seismologists have also recorded powerful explosions close to the leak sites early this week, which hardly appears like a coincidence.

It remains unclear, at the moment, which is accountable for such explosions and what they were intended to achieve if they were deliberate.

Experts have claimed that investigations are planned but cannot get completely underway until the breaches are necessitated.

Seeding Natural Gas

Tensions between Russia and the West have been strong since the former invaded Ukraine early this year. The United Nations, as well as the other Nations, including many countries in Europe, have responded to the ongoing aggression with sanctions against Russia.

Russia is a major energy producer and has customarily sold much of its natural gas to Europe. Moreover, a Reuters report said that Russia had been sending natural gas to Europe via Nord Stream 1, although it stopped the flow last month.

This report also indicated that the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations. The plan to utilize it for gas supply was scrapped by Germany days before Russia began what it called a "special military operation" in Ukraine in late February.

CubeSats

CubeSats, as a separate Space.com report specified, reduce launch costs in two fundamental ways. They do not weigh quite much. Meaning, a rocket does not need too much fuel to heft them.

In most circumstances, they share a rocket with a more massive satellite as well, making it possible to get to space on the coattails of the weightier payload.

There are some design challenges with CubeSats, too, nonetheless. The electronics are tinier, too, and are, therefore, more sensitive to radiation.

Since they are small, they cannot carry large payloads with them. Their affordable cost means they are designed, in general, to last only a couple of weeks, months, or years before the ceasing of operations, and for those in low orbit of Earth, falling back into the atmosphere.

A report about the methane gas leak in space is shown on New Scientist's YouTube video below:

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