Tracking Global Forest Health from Orbit with ESA Biomass Mission

Paris, France (SPX) Apr 28, 2025
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Biomass mission, the seventh Earth Explorer project under its FutureEO programme, has officially launched to advance global climate monitoring through cutting-edge satellite technologies. Germany, contributing around 20 percent to the mission budget under the German Space Agency at DLR, has taken a leading role, especially through its development of the P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument. Designed to map forest biomass and carbon storage worldwide, this radar will generate comprehensive forest maps and tree height measurements every seven months, providing essential data for tracking climate goals tied to the UN 2030 Agenda, the EU Green Deal, and the Paris Climate Agreement.

Manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen, the radar system was supported by extensive groundwork from the DLR Microwaves and Radar Institute, which spearheaded airborne campaigns, built the prototype radar processor, and will oversee post-launch calibration and validation.

"Earth's forests are vital to the climate, biodiversity and not least the future of humanity," stated Konstantinos Papathanassiou from DLR's Microwaves and Radar Institute. "As such, it is crucial that we not only assess their current state but also use it to project their future. This is far from easy, as forests today are under enormous strain from deforestation, fires and climate change. These threats have a dramatic impact on their role as ecosystems and carbon stores and have devastating consequences for their biodiversity. Biomass will be the first mission to determine the 3D structure of forests and thus reveal the spatial distribution of their biomass, as well as capturing their complexity and diversity. This will allow us to assess the current state of forests and make predictions about their future development. The methods for this were developed by European scientists with significant DLR involvement."

As the inaugural satellite to employ P-band radar technology, Biomass faced major scientific and engineering hurdles. The radar's deep vegetation penetration capability, particularly sensitive to trunks and larger branches, sets it apart. DLR's Microwaves and Radar Institute played a critical role throughout mission development, especially in defining, producing, and validating forest height and biomass change datasets. Airborne radar campaigns, notably two missions over Gabon using DLR's Dornier DO 228-212 aircraft, gathered tomographic data essential for refining Biomass mission algorithms and ensuring data reliability.

Forests, especially rainforests, act as massive carbon storage systems by absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and locking it within wood and soil. Today, an estimated 18 million square kilometers of rainforest remain globally-about 50 times Germany's land area-including 13.4 million square kilometers of tropical rainforest dominated by the Amazon basin. Given that the European Union covers only about 4.2 million square kilometers, the scale of these ecosystems is extraordinary. Events like deforestation and wildfires can unleash vast amounts of stored carbon, accelerating climate change. By delivering crucial insights into forest resources, ecosystem services, biodiversity, and conservation needs, Biomass will aid not only in rainforest preservation but also in monitoring boreal forests. Furthermore, its radar data will help study phenomena such as ionospheric activity, glacier dynamics, subterranean geological formations, and surface topography hidden beneath dense foliage.

Germany's prominent participation extends beyond funding, comprising the construction of the primary instrument and critical technological elements for the mission. Managed by the German Space Agency at DLR, contributions include system development, radar data processor prototyping, and preliminary test campaigns. Airbus Defence and Space developed the radar payload (excluding the reflector) and contributed to the solar sail's creation. Supporting industrial partners such as DSI GmbH (Payload Data Handling Unit), OHB System AG (platform structure), and Ariane Group (propulsion system) also played key roles. TESAT Spacecom GmbH delivered the mission's communication systems, while TESAT and United Monolithic Semiconductors collaborated on the first space-ready GaN transistor for power amplification. Additional hardware was provided by institutions including ZARM, Rockwell Collins, HPS GmbH, SpaceTech GmbH, and RST Rostock.

Scientific coordination for Germany's share of the mission is centralized at the Project Office Biomass, hosted by the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, acting on behalf of the German Space Agency at DLR.