The Sundarban 
A photograph from the ESA Biomass satellite, showcased at ESA’s Residing Planet Symposium
(Picture credit: ESA)
VIENNA, AUSTRIA — An exclamation of effort, pleasure and cheers erupted as of late at ESA’s Residing Planet Symposium as a placing original window into Earth’s forests, deserts and glaciers opened with the originate of the first pictures from ESA’s Biomass satellite.
Unveiled at the Residing Planet Symposium 2025 in Vienna, the photography designate a fundamental milestone in our figuring out of how Earth retail outlets carbon — and how climate commerce is remodeling ecosystems.
Apt two months after originate, ESA’s Biomass mission is already turning in on its promise, offering a look into the functionality of its new radar machine. Even supposing the mission is restful in its commissioning fragment, the early pictures are already displaying the satellite’s capabilities.
“These first images are nothing short of spectacular — and they’re only a mere glimpse of what is still to come,” acknowledged Michael Fehringer, ESA’s Biomass Venture Supervisor, in a declare. “As is routine, we’re still in the commissioning phase, fine-tuning the satellite to ensure it delivers the highest quality data for scientists to accurately determine how much carbon is stored in the world’s forests.”
ESA leaders are already praising the efforts of the a tall number of scientists at the attend of the program. “It was extremely emotional because it was the work of hundreds of people,” Simonetta Cheli, Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, told Put.com in an interview. “It’s very symbolic of the effort behind the scenes and the potential that this mission has.”
Taken at ESA’s Residing Planet Symposium, Vienna, Austria. On stage is Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Klaus Scipal, Biomass mission Supervisor and Michael Fehringer, Biomass Venture Supervisor. (Picture credit: Daisy Dobrijevic/Future)Biomass first pictures Bolivia — Tropical forests and the Beni River
A photograph of the Bolivian landscape (Picture credit: ESA)
This main image captures a intelligent diagram of Bolivia where rainforest meets riverine floodplains. Bolivia has suffered fundamental deforestation, basically attributable to agricultural growth. In the image, totally different colors highlight clear ecosystems: green for rainforest, red for forested wetlands and floodplains, and blue-red for grasslands. The darkish snaking line of the Beni River — free-flowing and undammed — cuts via the landscape.
“It shows the elegance of our Earth and what we can do to protect it,” acknowledged Cheli in a press conference following the Biomass image originate at the Residing Planet Symposium, Vienna.
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Bolivia — Biomass vs Sentinel-2 comparison
A comparison of two pictures of the Bolivian landscape (Picture credit: ESA)
On this paired image, the identical Bolivian landscape is shown as seen by Biomass and by Copernicus Sentinel-2. Despite the actual fact that they would perchance perchance also seem visually identical, ideal Biomass, with its penetrating P-band radar, captures the plump vertical wooded space structure under the veil. This makes it a lot more uncomplicated at measuring wooded space biomass and carbon mumble material. Whereas Sentinel-2 is miniature to ground aspects, Biomass unlocks a 3D glimpse of forests main for fine carbon accounting.
Brazil — Northern Amazon Rainforest
A satellite image peering via the thick wooded space (Picture credit: ESA)
This placing glimpse over northern Brazil used to be the first image returned by Biomass. The satellite’s radar finds subtle terrain and vegetation differences right via the Amazon rainforest. Crimson and red tones show forested wetlands and floodplains, significantly alongside rivers, while the green regions depict dense wooded space and more rugged topography in the north. The image hints at Biomass’ doable to video show wooded space successfully being and structure right via a long way away, ecologically excessive areas of the Amazon Basin.
Indonesia — Halmahera’s volcanic rainforests
A satellite image over Indonesia (Picture credit: ESA)
This image aspects the mountainous Halmahera rainforest in Indonesia, revealing advanced topography shaped by volcanic forces. Mount Gamkonora, restful energetic, is visible shut to the northern fly. Despite dense vegetation, Biomass’ radar can penetrate the veil to inform the contours of volcanoes and the surrounding wooded space ground. It’s a placing instance of the satellite’s energy to map every biomass and terrain, fundamental for figuring out the landscape dynamics of tectonically and volcanically energetic regions.
Gabon — Forests and the Ivindo River
A glimpse of Gabon’s landscape (Picture credit: ESA)
On this image, Biomass peers into the heart of Africa’s Congo Basin, shooting Gabon’s dense forests and the winding Ivindo River, an ecological lifeline. The river and its tributaries seem clearly in opposition to a rich green background representing unbroken rainforest.
Chad — Sahara Desolate tract structure
A satellite glimpse of the desert in Chad (Picture credit: ESA)
Right here, Biomass finds hidden structures under the sands of the Sahara in northern Chad, alongside side ingredients of the Tibesti Mountains. Its P-band radar can penetrate up to 5 meters under the desert ground, exposing the shapes of oldschool riverbeds and geologic formations long buried under arid terrain. This functionality opens original frontiers in paleoclimate be taught and groundwater mapping, significantly in vulgar environments once concept about too opaque for a long way away sensing.
Antarctica — Nimrod Glacier and Transantarctic Mountains
A satellite glimpse of the Nimrod Glacier (Picture credit: ESA)
The final image showcases the frozen landscape of Antarctica, where the Nimrod Glacier flows into the Ross Ice Shelf alongside the Transantarctic Mountains. Biomass’ radar can gaze into the ice, hinting at its skill to trace interior ice structures and drift velocities. Unlike shorter-wavelength radar missions, Biomass may perchance well perchance also free up key files about ice sheet dynamics and stability, excessive for figuring out future sea-degree rise in a warming world.
Whereas these early results are no longer but calibrated for scientific diagnosis, they verify that Biomass is heading in the right direction to fulfill — and presumably exceed — its ambitious dreams.
With a mission designed to span 5 years, Biomass will provide consistent,
