European Space Agency's Biomass Mission

Why in news?

The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch its ambitious Biomass mission later this month, on April 29, 2025.

Key Points:

• The Biomass satellite will be launched on a Vega C rocket from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana.
• It will be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 666 kilometres.
• The satellite will carry a special P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument, capable of measuring the amount of carbon stored in trees and the forest floor.
• The mission will map the world's forests and provide the first comprehensive measurement of forest biomass on a global scale.
• The Biomass mission will explore how forests are changing and advance our understanding of their role in the carbon cycle.

The main objectives of the Biomass mission are as follows:

• To assess forest biomass and carbon content on a global scale.
• Creating accurate 3D models of forest structures and tracking changes in biomass over time.
• Better understanding the role of forests in the carbon cycle and climate change.
• Monitoring changes in carbon levels due to deforestation and human activities.
• Observing the movement of ice sheets in Antarctica.
• Creating digital terrain models in densely vegetated areas.