The Earth Explorer Biomass satellite was launched from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on Tuesday. It aims to provide insights into global forests and their vital role in Earth's carbon cycle.
The satellite lifted off aboard a Vega-C rocket at 11:15 CEST (06:15 local time).
The launch proceeded as planned. By 12:27 CEST, ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Germany received the first signal via the Troll ground station in Antarctica, confirming that Biomass is performing as expected.
In the coming days, controllers will focus on the 'launch and early orbit' phase, closely monitoring all systems to ensure they are functioning correctly.
Once this phase is complete, Biomass will join the portfolio of groundbreaking missions managed from ESA's mission control centre.
Simonetta Cheli, ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said Biomass will provide essential new data on the carbon stored in the world's forests, filling critical gaps in our understanding of the carbon cycle and Earth's climate system.
Forests play a crucial role in the carbon cycle by absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide, helping to regulate the planet's temperature. Often called Earth's 'green lungs', they absorb about eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. However, deforestation and degradation – particularly in tropical regions – release stored carbon back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.
A significant challenge for scientists and policymakers is the lack of accurate data on how much carbon forests store and how these reserves change due to rising temperatures, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and human-induced land use changes.
