ESA’s Biomass Mission: Unveiling the Secrets of Global Forests with Advanced Satellite Technology

On April 29, 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched the Biomass mission, a pioneering Earth Explorer satellite designed to provide unprecedented insights into the state of our planet’s forests. The mission’s primary objective is to deliver crucial information about forest biomass and its changes over time, thereby enhancing our understanding of the role forests play in the Earth’s carbon cycle. Equipped with a novel P-band synthetic aperture radar, Biomass aims to generate the first-ever comprehensive global measurements of forest biomass, addressing a fundamental gap in our knowledge of the land component of the Earth system.

The Biomass satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space and was launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This project demostrate Europe’s commitment to environmental monitoring and climate research. The satellite’s advanced technology, including a 12-meter deployable antenna, allows it to collect detailed data on the height and structure of different forest types, as well as the amount of carbon stored in the world’s forests

3D PLUS proudly participate in Biomass mission by providing reliable electronic components, including EEPROM, SRAM, SDRAM, and NAND Flash memories, which are essential for the satellite’s data storage and processing capabilities. These components help to ensure the reliable operation of the satellite’s onboard systems, enabling the mission to achieve its scientific objectives and provide valuable data for global forest monitoring and climate research

Biomass antenna reflector deployed

Credit: ESA