ESA’s Biomass Mission Will Map Global Forests in 3D
24th Apr 2025
The European Space Agency (ESA) is poised to launch its groundbreaking Biomass satellite on 29 April 2025, aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This mission marks the first deployment of a space-based P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), designed to penetrate forest canopies and provide unprecedented data on global forest biomass and carbon storage.
The Biomass Mission Overview
Biomass is the seventh mission under ESA’s Earth Explorer program, aiming to enhance our understanding of Earth’s complex systems. Equipped with a 12-meter deployable antenna, the satellite will operate in a dawn-dusk, sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 666 km. Over its planned five-year mission, Biomass will monitor at least eight growth cycles of the world’s forests, delivering critical data on carbon stocks and fluxes.
The satellite’s P-band SAR operates at a wavelength of approximately 70 cm, allowing it to penetrate dense vegetation and measure the woody components of forests—trunks, branches, and stems—where most carbon is stored. This capability will enable the generation of high-resolution 3D maps of tropical, temperate, and boreal forests, providing insights into forest structure, biomass density, and changes over time. Additionally, Biomass will contribute to mapping subsurface geology in deserts and the ice structure of ice sheets.
How to Watch the Launch Live
ESA will stream the launch live on:
The Vega-C launch is currently scheduled for 29 April 2025, during a launch window from 10:20 to 11:43 UTC.
International Collaboration
Developed by Airbus Defence and Space in the UK, the Biomass satellite is the result of a collaborative effort involving over 50 companies across 20 countries. The satellite underwent extensive testing at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France, before being transported to Kourou for final launch preparations. The Vega-C launch vehicle, developed by Avio in Italy, will carry Biomass into its designated orbit.
Scientific Impact
Biomass aims to reduce uncertainties in the global carbon cycle by providing accurate measurements of forest biomass. The data collected will support international efforts to combat climate change, including programs like the United Nations’ REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). By enhancing our understanding of carbon dynamics, Biomass will inform climate models and aid in the development of effective environmental policies.
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