A new satellite mission is peering through forest canopies to track global carbon storage.

The European Space Agency has launched its Biomass satellite to monitor the health of Earth's forests. By utilizing advanced radar technology, this mission aims to quantify how much carbon is stored in woody plant matter, providing essential data on the global carbon cycle.

Launched on 29 April 2025 from Kourou, French Guiana, the Biomass satellite is the latest addition to the Earth Explorer series. It travels aboard a Vega-C rocket, a vehicle designed to offer higher performance and larger payload capacity than its predecessors.

The mission is unique for its use of a P-band radar system capable of capturing full polarimetric data for interferometric imaging. With a wavelength of approximately 70 cm, these signals penetrate dense foliage to reach the trunks, branches, and stems of trees. This allows researchers to measure forest biomass directly, offering a clearer picture of how forests evolve and their critical function in regulating carbon levels.

Source: Biomass launch highlights