European Space Agency successfully launches Biomass satellite

The Vega-C rocket was launched from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana, and successfully placed the Biomass satellite into orbit, a flagship mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) dedicated to studying forests globally, AFP reports.

• A major technological step for forest monitoring

The satellite was released into an orbit located at an altitude of 666 km, 57 minutes after launch. Biomass is the first radar-equipped satellite capable of measuring forest biomass - trunks, branches and stems - in which carbon absorbed from the atmosphere is stored. "From a technological point of view, this is a major step forward," said Simonetta Cheli, director of ESA's Earth observation programs.

Precise knowledge of the amount of biomass contributes to monitoring climate change and assessing carbon storage. The first data from the mission will be available in about six months, and the operational duration of the satellite is estimated at five years.

• Extended mission and multiple applications

In addition to mapping forests, Biomass will also allow: studying the subsurface geology of deserts, analyzing the structure of the ice sheet, and measuring forest topography.

The launch also had a symbolic character: it marks the full return to service of the Vega-C launcher, after a break of almost two years caused by a hardware failure in December 2022. This is the fourth mission of the rocket developed by the Italian company Avio, and its success, according to ESA, "further strengthens Europe's access to space." "Vega-C is a pillar of European space sovereignty, alongside Ariane 6," said Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA's director of space transportation. According to Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio, there are already 17 Vega-C launches scheduled for the coming period.