Overview

• The European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Biomass satellite on April 29, 2025, aboard a Vega-C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana.
• The satellite will operate in a 666-kilometer orbit and is controlled from ESA's mission center in Darmstadt, Germany.
• Over its 5½-year mission, Biomass will use advanced radar technology to create 3D maps of global forest biomass, filling key gaps in climate research.
• The mission's data will be openly available to researchers worldwide, supporting efforts to understand and mitigate climate change by refining carbon cycle models.
• With a budget of nearly €500 million, the satellite represents a significant investment in Earth observation and climate science by ESA.