1. The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch the Biomass satellite to enhance global understanding of the carbon cycle by measuring forest biomass with greater accuracy.
  2. Biomass will use a unique P-band radar—the first of its kind in space—that can penetrate dense forest canopies to gather data on tree structures like trunks and branches where carbon is largely stored.
  3. The satellite will be launched aboard a Vega C rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana and placed in a sun-synchronous orbit approximately 666 km above Earth.
  4. By generating detailed 3D maps of remote tropical forests, the mission will provide new insights into forest height, above-ground biomass, and the changing health of forests key to tracking carbon storage and environmental changes.