The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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ESA’s Earth Explorer Biomass is the first satellite to carry a P-band synthetic aperture radar in space to measure forest biomass and height, consistently across the globe and across different forest types. Thanks to the long 70 cm wavelength of P-band, the signal can penetrate through the forest canopy, allowing it to collect information on amounts of different parts of the forest, namely, tree trunks, branches and stems – which is where trees store most of their carbon.
Since carbon makes up roughly half the weight of wood, the mission is extremely important in the quest to reduce uncertainties about the role forests play in the global carbon cycle and in our climate system.