ESA’s Biomass Mission: Monitoring Forests from Space

1. The European Space Agency (ESA) is launching a ground-breaking Earth Observation mission called “Biomass” on 29 April 2025.
2. This mission is crucial in the fight against climate change, monitoring carbon stocks, and understanding the Earth’s carbon cycle

 

What is the Biomass Mission?

1. The Biomass mission is one of ESA’s Earth Explorer Missions, developed under its Living Planet Program.
2. Its primary goal is to monitor forest biomass (forest biomass refers to the total mass of living trees and vegetation in a given area.)
3. This is the first satellite mission that will use P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to penetrate forest canopies and measure the amount of biomass accurately.
4. Mission duration: 5 years, covering all forested regions globally.
5. Key Features

 

Feature	Details
Launched	April 2025
Launch Site	Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana with rocket named Vega-C
Orbit	Sun-synchronous, ~666 km altitude
Satellite Mass	~1,260 kg
Instrument	P-band SAR, using radar waves ~70 cm in wavelength
Revisit Time	Every 6 months
Coverage	All forested regions of Earth

 

Forest biomass- refers to the total mass of living organic matter in trees and vegetation in a forest ecosystem. It includes- Above-ground biomass: Trunks, branches, leaves, etc., Below-ground biomass: Roots, Deadwood and litter.

Paris Agreement and NDCs-

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015 at the COP21 in Paris.

Its key goals-

1. Limit global warming to well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C
2. Achieve net-zero emissions by the second half of the century
3. Enhance climate resilience and low-carbon development

Countries commit to:

• Submit and update their NDCs
• Track progress through transparency mechanisms
• Support developing nations with finance and technology

NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions)

NDCs are climate action plans submitted by each country under the Paris Agreement.
They outline how a country plans to, Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Adapt to climate impacts, Achieve national climate goals

It is updated every 5 years, NDCs reflect each country’s level of ambition in the global fight against climate change.

Technology and Instruments Involved-

1. P-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

1. Frequency: 435 MHz (P-band) longest radar wavelength used in space (~70 cm)
2. Capability: Penetrates through forest canopies to reach trunks and branches.
3. Provides 3D imaging of forests using interferometric techniques.

2. SAR Tomography & Polarimetry

1. SAR Tomography helps create 3D maps of forest structure.
2. Polarimetry helps determine the type and condition of vegetation.

3. Satellite Details

1. Mass: ~1,260 kg
2. Orbit: Sun-synchronous, altitude ~666 km
3. Revisit cycle: Every 6 months

Earth Explorer Programme: A Brief Overview

The Earth Explorers Programme is a flagship scientific mission series by the European Space Agency (ESA) under its Living Planet Programme.

Its goal is to study the Earth’s environment using advanced satellite missions that address key scientific questions related to- Climate change, Earth systems (atmosphere, oceans, land, biosphere), Natural resources & ecosystem changes, Human impact on Earth.

Biomass mission is the seventh in the series.

List of Earth Explorer Missions (with details)

#	Mission	Year	Focus Area
1️	GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer)	2009–2013	Earth’s gravity field
2️	SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity)	2009	Soil moisture, ocean salinity
3️	CryoSat-2	2010	Polar ice thickness, glaciers
4	Swarm	2013–present	Earth’s magnetic field
5️	Aeolus	2018–2023	Global wind profiles
6️	EarthCARE	2024 (launch expected)	Clouds, aerosols, radiation balance
7️	BIOMASS	2025 (launching)	Forest biomass, carbon storage
8️	FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring)	2027 (planned)	Earth radiation budget

 

Partner of ESA Biomass mission-   Technical Partner

UK (Airbus), Germany, France

 

Data Sharing Partner

NASA, FAO, INPE (Brazil)

 

Scientific Community

Universities, space agencies, research institutions

 

Developing Nations Beneficiary

India, Brazil, Indonesia, Congo, etc.

India is not a funder of ESA Biomass mission but is beneficiary. So,

1. Can access open-source biomass data
2. Will benefit in forest-rich regions (Northeast, Western Ghats, Central India)
3. Uses it to complement ISRO missions (e.g., RISAT, Cartosat)
4. Can integrate Biomass data in climate reports, REDD+ strategies, Green India Mission, and NDCs

Expected Benefits of the Biomass Mission

Environmental

• Better understanding of global carbon cycle
• Improved knowledge of tropical deforestation
• Assessment of forest degradation vs regeneration

Policy & Climate Finance

• Countries can quantify emissions from land-use change.
• Supports REDD+ mechanisms (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) under UNFCCC.
• Helps in designing Carbon Credit Markets.

Scientific

• Helps climate models by offering real data on carbon sinks
• Enhances understanding of ecosystem dynamics

Challenges and Limitations

1. Signal Interference: P-band is prone to radio-frequency interference (RFI) from Earth based communications.
2. Data Volume: Massive data collection requires high storage & processing capacity.
3. Limited Ground Validation: Field verification in dense forests like Amazon or Congo is difficult.
4. Cloud Penetration: Although radar can penetrate clouds, extreme weather may affect clarity.

India’s Role and Related Programs

India's Observation & Forest Programs

India is not directly involved in ESA’s Biomass mission but has its own remote sensing satellites and forest monitoring efforts, including:

1. Forest Survey of India (FSI)

• Publishes India State of Forest Report (ISFR) every 2 years.
• Uses satellite imagery (mainly from ISRO).

2. Indian Forest Satellite Missions (e.g., RISAT)

• RISAT-1 and 2B use radar for agriculture and forest monitoring.

3. CartoSAT Series

• High-resolution optical imagery used for mapping forest cover and urban planning.

4. ISRO-FAO Collaboration

• Working with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve forest carbon estimation.

Similar Missions by Other Countries

Country/Agency	Mission	Purpose
USA (NASA)	GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation)	Uses laser (LiDAR) to measure forest height and biomass on ISS
Germany (DLR)	Tandem-X	Radar interferometry for 3D Earth surface mapping
Japan (JAXA)	ALOS-2	L-band radar for forest and disaster mapping
Brazil	Amazon Deforestation Monitoring (DETER/PRODES)	Real-time monitoring of Amazon forest loss
Global	Copernicus Programme (EU)	Free and open satellite data for environment monitoring