After years of testing, the European Space Agency (ESA) is finally launching the Biomass Satellite from Kourou station in French Guiana. This Biomass Satellite, dubbed ‘space brolly’, is a breakthrough in carbon monitoring. Till now, it was impossible to calculate the amount of carbon stored by 1.5 trillion trees in rainforests. This satellite will provide unprecedented data on how much carbon is locked away in forest biomass and kept out of the atmosphere. 

Biomass Satellite Specifications 

The Biomass Satellite, or space brolly, has a giant antenna with a 12m diameter. This antenna will use radar with a long wavelength to see deeper inside forests. Dr Ralph Cordey, the head of geosciences at Airbus, explained the dilemma faced by satellites in observing deep forests. He elaborated that most radars in space take wonderful images of icebergs, but they cannot penetrate down into the forests. Therefore, by using a longer radar wavelength, the depth of forests could be measured. 

The Biomass Satellite is designed on a principle similar to the CT scan. The 1.2 tonne satellite will analyze the trees on repeat passes to build a picture of how much woody material is present. This material can be used to count the amount of planet-warming carbon dioxide stored inside the rainforests. Moreover, the longer wavelength of the satellite will also penetrate clouds, providing a consistent view of rainforests. 

Biomass Satellite for Carbon Monitoring 

Analysts and scientists are expecting to produce the first map from the data given by the Biomass Satellite in six months. The data is also expected to reveal the amount of carbon lost through deforestation. Therefore, Biomass Satellite will assist in carbon monitoring for the coming years. Dr Ralph Cordey summarized the utility of Biomass Satellite as 

“It’s exciting, because it’s going to tell us about how something that we perhaps take for granted. Our forests, our trees, how they are contributing to the processes which govern our planet, and in particular, the processes behind climate change which are so important to us today and for the future.”