Overview
- The European Space Agency's Biomass satellite will launch aboard a Vega-C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on April 29, 2025.
- The satellite features a groundbreaking P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar capable of penetrating forest canopies to create 3D models of forest structure and biomass.
- Biomass will orbit at 666 km altitude, conducting six global mapping cycles over 5½ years, with the first comprehensive forest data expected nine months post-launch.
- The mission aims to address critical gaps in understanding forests' carbon storage and emissions, providing essential data for more accurate climate projections.
- Mission operations will be managed from ESA's Control Centre in Darmstadt, with data made accessible to scientists worldwide for climate research.