Scientists say the radar will paint the first detailed global map of forests’ biomass, which is crucial for sucking up carbon and slowing climate change.

On 29 April 2025, the European climate satellite Biomass was launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Using the maps, scientists can also calculate the area of habitat of different species around the world. "As expected, species in boreal forests are distributed over large areas," explains Pellissier.

The Biomass mission will use a long-forbidden part of the radio spectrum to see how much carbon forests capture.

The Biomass satellite will measure the trunks, branches and stems of the trees that populate the planet's forests. ESA says ...

Discover how nearly two decades of satellite data—and the new Biomass mission—are helping scientists map forest carbon across ...

Using instruments on board, the Biomass satellite will be able to measure the woody trunks, branches and stems where carbon is mainly stored. Find out more here.

That reflector will receive data from the world's forests, the ESA said. Forests on Earth collectively absorb and store about 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, the ESA said. That ...