A newly launched satellite, equipped with advanced European technology, has transmitted its initial images of Earth. The “Biomass” probe, a collaborative effort involving major aerospace companies and startups for the European Space Agency (ESA), is designed to capture unprecedentedly detailed measurements of forest carbon from space.

Launched in April aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, “Biomass” carries the first-ever P-band radar to enter orbit. This innovative instrument aims to enhance our understanding of changes occurring in Earth’s forests and their impact on the global carbon cycle.

constructed by Airbus, the P-band radar utilizes long wavelengths capable of penetrating dense forest canopies to reach the underlying woody structures, where the majority of a forest’s carbon is stored. Beyond forests, the probe is also capable of mapping subsurface geology in deserts, the structure of ice sheets, and forest floor topography.

Orbiting Earth at an altitude of approximately 666 kilometers in a Sun-synchronous orbit, “Biomass” transmits raw radar data from its P-band instrument to ESA’s Kiruna ground station in Sweden.there, the data undergoes calibration and transformation into usable scientific products, such as biomass density maps and forest height models.

Processed datasets are made accessible through a Multi-Mission Algorithm and Analysis Platform (MAAP), designed by Spacebel. This platform enables scientists worldwide to search, access, and analyze “Biomass” data directly in the cloud, eliminating the need to download large files or manage complex infrastructure.

The satellite’s large, umbrella-shaped antenna directs radar pulses from the P-band radar instrument toward forests. When these signals reach Earth’s surface, they bounce back, and the antenna, built by L3Harris, captures and redirects them to the satellite. Onboard systems then process the data to create detailed 3D maps of global biomass and other landscape features.

“Biomass is equipped with novel space technology, so we’ve been closely monitoring its performance in orbit… its first images are nothing short of breathtaking.”

According to Michael Fehringer, ESA’s project manager for “Biomass”, the satellite is currently in its commissioning phase, which involves testing and calibration post-launch. He anticipates even higher quality data as the process continues.