The European Space Agency (ESA), a lead partner of the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), is set to make a significant new contribution to forest-monitoring efforts globally. Its satellite, Biomass, launched last month and successfully deployed its 12-meter radar antenna in space, setting the stage to map and monitor the Earth's forests with a new level of detail.

Launched as part of ESA's mission, Biomass is the first satellite to carry a P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), a technology that enables the mapping of forest density, biomass and carbon storage with remarkable precision. This powerful radar will provide data on how forests are changing over time and how they contribute to Earth’s carbon cycle – crucial insights for understanding and addressing climate change.

“The successful deployment of Biomass is more than a technical milestone – it is a leap forward for global forest monitoring,” said Inge Jonckheere, Head of Green Solutions Division, ESA. “With this radar in orbit, we are entering a new era of satellite data-driven forest monitoring possibilities that will empower countries to further enhance the sustainable management of their forests.”

ESA engineers carefully coordinated the deployment in stages, ensuring continuous communication with ground stations in Canada, Norway and Sweden for seamless coverage to track the operation in real-time. Now that the antenna is fully deployed, Biomass is ready to begin its mission of monitoring forests globally.

The data gathered will be valuable for tracking deforestation, forest health, and carbon emissions and removals, helping to guide conservation efforts and sustainable forest management policies. This is an important new contribution to the GFOI community, which seeks to provide more holistic, efficient and effective support to tropical forest countries.

With the antenna now fully deployed, Biomass will enter its six-month commissioning phase. During this time, the satellite’s systems will be calibrated and validated to ensure data accuracy and performance before transitioning to full scientific operations. This milestone is a critical step in the mission shared by ESA, and consequently the GFOI, to deliver vital information about the world’s forests and their role in the global carbon cycle, advancing climate science as well as national and international forest management efforts.

To learn more about this ESA mission from the source, check out this story.