Biomass Mission

The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch its ambitious Biomass Mission in late April 2025.

Launch Vehicle: Vega C rocket from ESA’s Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana.

Orbit: Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 666 km altitude — allows consistent solar lighting for observations.

What is Sun-synchronous Orbit?

  • A Sun-synchronous orbit is a near-polar orbit where a satellite passes over the same part of the Earth at approximately the same local solar time every day.
  • It means that lighting conditions (sunlight and shadows) are nearly constant across satellite images on different days.

Objective of the Biomass Mission

  • To create comprehensive global measurements of forest biomass.
  • To study how forests are changing, especially in terms of carbon absorption and release.
  • To improve understanding of forests’ role in the global carbon cycle and climate system.

Why Biomass Measurement is Important

  • Forests absorb about 16 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
  • Forests currently hold 861 gigatonnes of carbon in their soils and vegetation.
  • Biomass = mass of organic material in trees — crucial to understanding carbon storage.
  • Loss of forests due to human activities releases stored carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

Key Fact:

"In 2023, Earth lost 3.7 million hectares of tropical forests," roughly equal to losing an area the size of Switzerland.

How Will the Biomass Mission Work?

  • The satellite will use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
  • It will be the first mission to use a long-wavelength P-band SAR from space.
  • P-band radar can penetrate dense forest canopies, unlike shorter wavelengths.
  • The satellite will measure:
    • How much carbon is stored in tree trunks, branches, and soil.
    • How these carbon levels change over time.

Key Terms:

  • Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): A radar system that produces high-resolution images.
  • P-band: A frequency band (long wavelength) that can deeply penetrate through vegetation and soil layers.

Additional Observations

  • Biomass satellite will also:
    • Track ice sheet movements in Antarctica.
    • Generate 3D models of terrains covered by dense forests.
Biomass Mission

Earth Explorer Programme

  • Biomass Mission is the seventh mission under ESA’s Earth Explorer Programme.
  • Previous missions provided critical data about:
    • Gravity fields (GOCE mission)
    • Ocean circulation
    • Climate balance (Earth Cloud Aerosol Radiation Explorer)

Importance of the Biomass Mission

  • Helps accurately calculate how much carbon forests store.
  • Helps quantify forest loss and its impact on global carbon emissions.
  • Provides critical data for climate change mitigation strategies.
  • 3D imaging of forests will help in conservation planning.

 

Quote by Shaun Quegan (Sheffield University):

"We will weigh the carbon content of the world’s forests and track changes over time."