Scientists are on the verge of a groundbreaking mission to create high-resolution 3D maps of the world’s most remote, dense, and darkest tropical forests from space. To achieve this, a specialized radar scanner equipped on a probe named Biomass will be launched into Earth’s orbit later this month.

Over the next five years, the Biomass spacecraft, weighing 1.25 tones, will survey the tropical rainforests of Africa, Asia, and South America, analyzing vegetation and structures under the thick canopies, reaching heights of up to 40 meters, which are typically hidden from human observation. Despite the immense thickness, which lets through less than 2% of sunlight, Biomass will provide unmatched detail from over 600 kilometers up.

The primary objective of this mission is to calculate the carbon storage in these forests and monitor changes resulting from deforestation and the subsequent increase in carbon dioxide emissions. The information gathered by Biomass will offer valuable insights into the impacts of deforestation, assisting in predicting future climate changes and addressing environmental degradation.

In addition to carbon mapping, Biomass will study the sub-surface geology, biodiversity loss, and provide critical data on the effects of forest clearance for mining and agriculture. Given the vital role tropical forests play in combating the effects of global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this mission is both timely and crucial.

The significance of the Biomass mission was underscored by Simonetta Cheli, director of Earth Observation Programs for Esa, who explained the necessity of understanding the health of tropical forests for carbon mapping and biodiversity assessment. Bjorn Rommen, mission scientist for the Biomass project, emphasized the mission’s role in offering more accurate assessments of carbon levels in these forests, enabling better predictions of Earth’s climatic future.

Scheduled to launch from Esa’s spaceport in French Guiana on April 29 aboard a VegaC rocket, the Biomass probe carries a P-band synthetic aperture radar, marking its first space mission. Its antenna, measuring 12 meters in length, will be deployed to sweep over the Earth, providing unprecedented data on carbon storage levels and changes, contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/05/space-probe-to-map-carbon-content-of-worlds-remotest-tropical-forests