ESA’s Biomass Mission: Mapping the Lungs of the Earth

The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch a groundbreaking Earth observation mission called Biomass mission, scheduled for liftoff on April 29, 2025. This initiative is poised to revolutionize how we understand the role forests play in the global carbon cycle. Using cutting-edge radar technology, Biomass will scan the Earth’s forests from low Earth orbit, unlocking crucial data on carbon storage and forest health.

Mission Snapshot

At the heart of the Biomass mission is a single satellite armed with a P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), operating at 435 MHz. This radar is powerful enough to penetrate dense forest canopies, providing highly detailed insights into forest structure.

Key features:

• 3D imaging of global forests
• Monitoring forest biomass and changes over time
• Mission duration: 5 years
• Focus: Interferometric radar techniques for precise forest monitoring

Why Forest Monitoring Matters

Forests absorb around 16 billion metric tonnes of CO₂ each year—making them a crucial part of our climate defense. But current data on forest biomass and height is insufficient. That’s where Biomass steps in, aiming to fill data gaps and offer a clearer picture of how forests contribute to carbon dynamics.

Tackling Environmental Challenges

In 2023 alone, the world lost approximately 3.7 million hectares of tropical forests, contributing to about 6% of global CO₂ emissions. This alarming loss underscores the urgent need for reliable, high-resolution forest data.

Biomass will help scientists:

• Track how deforestation and climate change affect carbon levels
• Detect changes in carbon storage over time
• Support global conservation and climate policy efforts

Beyond Forests: Wider Scientific Benefits

While forests are the primary focus, the mission’s capabilities extend to other areas:

• Monitoring ice sheet motion in Antarctica
• Creating digital elevation models of densely vegetated areas
• Supporting climate models, ecosystem studies, and environmental management

Part of the Earth Explorer Family

Biomass is a flagship part of ESA’s Earth Explorer Programme, a series of missions designed to deepen our understanding of Earth’s complex systems and address pressing societal needs. These missions also serve as testbeds for future operational missions like Copernicus Sentinel.

Earth Explorer Missions Timeline

The Big Picture

With its high-precision radar and broad scientific scope, the Biomass mission is set to become an essential tool in the global effort to monitor forest ecosystems, mitigate climate change, and enhance Earth system science.