Biomass Satellite Mission

Source: IE

Context: The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the Biomass satellite mission in end of April, 2025, aboard the Vega C rocket.

About Biomass Satellite Mission:

• What is the Biomass Mission?

• Biomass is ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer satellite mission under its climate and Earth systems programme. It will map global forests and measure carbon levels to assess forest health and its role in the carbon cycle.

• Biomass is ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer satellite mission under its climate and Earth systems programme.

• It will map global forests and measure carbon levels to assess forest health and its role in the carbon cycle.

• Organisation Involved:

• The European Space Agency (ESA) leads the mission, with collaboration from researchers across Europe. The launch will take place from French Guiana using Vega C, ESA’s satellite launcher.

• The European Space Agency (ESA) leads the mission, with collaboration from researchers across Europe.

• The launch will take place from French Guiana using Vega C, ESA’s satellite launcher.

• Aim of the Mission:

• To quantify forest biomass and carbon content from space using radar. To generate accurate 3D models of forest structures and track changes in biomass over time.

• To quantify forest biomass and carbon content from space using radar.

• To generate accurate 3D models of forest structures and track changes in biomass over time.

• Key Features of Biomass Mission

• P-band SAR Technology: First satellite to use P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar with 70 cm wavelength for deep forest penetration. 12-metre Radar Antenna: A large deployable antenna will scan forest canopies and ground biomass structures. Carbon Flow Monitoring: Tracks carbon absorption and release, improving understanding of climate feedback loops. Global Coverage: Covers tropical and boreal forests and monitors ice sheet movement and terrain models. Sun-Synchronous Orbit: Operates at 666 km altitude, ensuring consistent lighting conditions for measurements.

• P-band SAR Technology: First satellite to use P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar with 70 cm wavelength for deep forest penetration.

• 12-metre Radar Antenna: A large deployable antenna will scan forest canopies and ground biomass structures.

• Carbon Flow Monitoring: Tracks carbon absorption and release, improving understanding of climate feedback loops.

• Global Coverage: Covers tropical and boreal forests and monitors ice sheet movement and terrain models.

• Sun-Synchronous Orbit: Operates at 666 km altitude, ensuring consistent lighting conditions for measurements.

• What is the Earth Explorer Programme?

• It is ESA’s research-driven satellite series designed to explore Earth’s dynamic systems.

• The first spacecraft the gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission took off in 2009 and worked till 2013.

• The most recent one was the Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) mission, which was launched in May 2024