ESA Earth observation satellite started: Biomass to weigh all of Earth's forests
When Biomass begins its work, the earth observation satellite will provide the most accurate overview of the biomass of all forests. The expectations are high.
Artistic representation of the mission
(Image: ESA/ATG Medialab)
The European Space Agency has successfully launched Biomass, an Earth observation satellite that will provide “unprecedented insights into forests and their crucial role in the carbon cycle”. Following the launch with a Vega-C rocket from the spaceport in Kourou in French Guiana, the satellite reported for the first time at 12.28 p.m. CEST on Tuesday. The device is working as expected, writes the ESA. In the coming days, it will be carefully checked that all systems are functioning correctly, and then a 12-meter reflector attached to a 7.5-meter antenna will be deployed. The device can then begin its work.
Continuous map of all forests
As the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, now explains, the proposal for the satellite was developed there almost 20 years ago. As developed back then, Biomass has now been equipped with a radar instrument that uses particularly long wavelengths that penetrate the entire canopy of trees. The result is a complete picture of the entire tree and an overview of the biomass of all forests on the planet. The corresponding maps are produced continuously and are intended to provide researchers with an unparalleled insight into their condition and changes. They will be used for more precise climate models, for example.
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Biomass is now orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 666 kilometers, and its mission is scheduled to last five years. Its P-band radar is described as a marvel of technology and is the first of its kind in space. It is the only instrument on board the satellite and comes from Airbus. The launch took place in a very special year for the European Space Agency, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Vega-C launcher only completed an almost two-year launch pause in December, which is one of the reasons why Europe did not have its access to space for a long time. The next launch is scheduled for June.
(mho)
