The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and other Nasa science instruments will be part of the global survey to detect the potent greenhouse gas.
Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere, although it eventually dissipates at a much faster rate.
It is estimated to be responsible for roughly a quarter to a third of global warming caused by humans. But due to its relatively short atmospheric lifespan, eliminating emissions could lower warming in a much shorter time frame than carbon dioxide reduction efforts.
The aim of the new initiative is to establish a baseline assessment of global waste sites that emit methane at high rates. This information can help to support efforts to reduce the concentration of the gas in the atmosphere and limit climate change.
Methane produced by the waste sector contributes an estimated 20 per cent of human-caused methane emissions...