On April 29, 2025, Arianespace completed a successful launch of the Biomass satellite, commissioned by the European Space Agency, aboard a Vega-C rocket from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This mission seeks to offer groundbreaking information about global forests and their significant role in the carbon cycle of the Earth.
Equipped with a pioneering P-band synthetic aperture radar, the first of its kind in space, Biomass is capable of penetrating cloud cover and forest canopies to assess the woody biomass of forests. This capability facilitates the creation of intricate 3D maps of forest structures, yielding essential data on carbon storage and enhancing our understanding of the impacts of climate change and deforestation on forest density and carbon sequestration globally.
Designed by Airbus UK, this satellite, with a weight of roughly 1,250 kg, operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 666 km, making 15 to 16 revolutions around the Earth each day for the duration of its planned five-year mission.
The data obtained through Biomass will improve the reliability of carbon stock and flux measurements, particularly in tropical and remote forest regions that currently lack sufficient biomass assessments.
As an integral part of ESA’s Earth Explorer initiative, Biomass marks a considerable improvement in Earth observation technology, supplementing missions such as NASA’s GEDI and Japan’s L-band satellites, yet demonstrating a superior proficiency in penetrating dense vegetation.
Preliminary data from the mission is anticipated to be accessible to researchers within a few days, while public datasets are projected to be released in approximately one year. This mission emphasizes the significance of global cooperation in tackling environmental issues and showcases the contribution of advanced space technology in the observation and protection of Earth’s essential ecosystems.
For more information on the Biomass mission, visit the official ESA’s and Arianespace’s websites: ESA – Biomass Arianespace
Photo: Arianespace
