Yesterday, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Biomass satellite, the first of its kind to use a special radar system to measure carbon storage in forests and map Earth's forest biomass on a global scale. The satellite lifted off aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 11:15 Central European Summer Time (CEST), marking a milestone in efforts to monitor global forests and their role in absorbing carbon dioxide. According to The Independent, the Biomass satellite is part of ESA's Earth Explorer program under the Living Planet Programme.
The Biomass satellite is designed to provide unprecedented insights into the world's forests and their crucial role in Earth's carbon cycle. Tropical forests, often referred to as the "lungs of the Earth," contain nearly 50% of the carbon in global vegetation. By accurately measuring biomass—and thus stored carbon—in forests such as the Amazon, Congo, and Indonesia, the mission aims to improve scientific understanding of how these ecosystems contribute to climate regulation.
"Conceived and built in the UK, Biomass is a brilliant example of what we can achieve in collaboration with our partners in industry and academia," said Professor Shaun Quegan, the mission's lead scientist. "The mission is the culmination of decades of highly innovative work in partnership with some of the best scientists in Europe and the US," he added, according to The Independent.
Equipped with a 12-meter diameter antenna, nicknamed the "space brolly," the satellite uses a pioneering P-band synthetic aperture radar with a wavelength of approximately 70 centimeters. This radar technology allows it to penetrate through clouds and dense forest canopies, reaching the woody trunks, branches, and stems where most of the carbon is stored. "Most radars in space today only capture images of the tops of forests, seeing only branches and leaves, but the Biomass satellite's longer wavelength radar can penetrate deeper into the forest," explained Dr. Ralph Cordey, as reported by BBC News.
Less than an hour after launch, Biomass separated from the rocket's upper stage and was deployed at an altitude of 666 kilometers. It will orbit the Earth for several years, mapping all the forests and providing information about their health and dynamics. The first data from the satellite are expected in six months, with the first complete map anticipated to be available nine months after launch.
"We want to investigate these forests. With this satellite, we will be able to actually look inside them," said Professor John Remedios, director of the National Centre for Earth Observation, as reported by BBC News. The data collected will help scientists understand the role of forests in carbon storage and the impact of deforestation on climate change.
Forests play a vital role in Earth's carbon cycle by absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, helping to regulate the planet's temperature. However, deforestation and degradation, especially in tropical regions, release stored carbon back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. By providing accurate measurements of forest biomass, the Biomass mission aims to reduce uncertainties in carbon stock and flux estimates, improving the credibility of data used for climate policy.
The Biomass satellite was developed by more than 50 companies, led by Airbus UK. The mission also involves contributions from British companies such as ABSL in Abingdon, which provided the satellite's battery, and European Astrotech UK in Westcott, which assisted with testing. The satellite's antenna was constructed with the expertise of engineers from the American company L3Harris Technologies.
"Basically, we are trying to weigh the amount of carbon that is stored in one and a half trillion trees in the tropics. Satellites are the only way to do this consistently," affirmed Professor Mat Disney, an environmental scientist at University College London, according to BBC News.
The data provided by Biomass is crucial for assessing climate change and analyzing its impacts. It will benefit climate researchers by addressing the lack of data in remote tropical forests, which are generally not well understood due to accessibility challenges. By improving scientific understanding of the role of forests as the "green lung" in Earth's carbon cycle, the mission aims to contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change.
ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programs, Simonetta Cheli, stated, "With Biomass, we are poised to gain vital new data on how much carbon is stored in the world's forests, helping to fill key gaps in our knowledge of the carbon cycle and, ultimately, Earth's climate system," as reported by Phys.org.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.