Forest on the Radar: How ESA's Biomass Mission Maps Carbon Stocks

ESA's Biomass mission was successfully launched into orbit on April 29, 2025. Equipped with a unique P-band radar, the satellite will accurately measure forest biomass and stored carbon, playing a crucial role in understanding the global carbon cycle.

The Vega-C rocket lifted the 1,170 kg Biomass satellite from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. After deployment, the satellite's 12-meter radar reflector will penetrate forest canopies to measure woody biomass—trunks, branches, and twigs—providing unprecedented data for climate models and policy decisions.