ESA’s new ‘Space Brolly’ satellite to weigh global forest carbon like never before

(Image: ESA)

Watching the clouds roll over the Amazon, it’s easy to forget the secrets hiding beneath the trees. But now, a new satellite mission promises to lift that leafy veil — revealing the true weight of our forests and the carbon they keep locked away.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched a special satellite that can see deep inside the world's tropical rainforests. This satellite, designed to study how much carbon is stored in trees, took off from ESA’s Kourou base in French Guiana on Tuesday. As it flew above the Amazon rainforest, scientists celebrated a new step towards understanding how forests fight climate change.

The new satellite uses a unique radar system called P-band. It sends long-wavelength signals through the trees, reaching the hidden trunks and branches. These parts of the tree hold most of the carbon, making them essential for accurate measurement.

The satellite has been affectionately named the “space brolly” because of its wide 12-metre antenna. It looks like a giant umbrella in space and is one of the biggest features on the spacecraft. The radar system on board works a bit like a CT scan. It collects images slice by slice to show the shape and structure of the trees.

Understanding Forests From the Inside Out

According to Prof John Remedios from the National Centre for Earth Observation, this is the first time scientists will know with such accuracy how much carbon is stored in rainforests like the Amazon, Congo and Indonesia. He said after the launch, “We really want to interrogate these forests. We can actually look inside.”

Unlike most radars in space today, which only capture treetops, the P-band radar can peer beneath the canopy. Dr Ralph Cordey from Airbus explained that typical radars only see the surface leaves and twigs. The longer radar waves in this satellite allow scientists to view deeper parts of the trees.

The satellite weighs 1.2 tonnes and was built in the UK. Its mission is expected to last five years. The first forest carbon maps are expected in six months, with more updates to follow yearly. These maps will show not only how much carbon is stored but also how much is being lost.

A Global Effort Years in the Making

The mission was first proposed by Professor Shaun Quegan from the University of Sheffield. He said the project is a result of decades of hard work involving top scientists from Europe and the United States. Engineers from the US company L3Harris Technologies also played a key role. They helped design the large antenna that folds and unfolds like a space umbrella.

Even after launch, many technical steps remain. Dr Cordey said, “We’ll be looking for that [antenna deployment] to happen smoothly.”

The satellite’s data will be verified using measurements taken from trees on the ground. Until now, scientists had to measure trees one by one and guess at the larger totals. Prof Mat Disney from University College London said this method has been difficult and patchy. “You can’t weigh one and a half trillion trees,” he added. “Satellites are the only way to do that consistently.”

This new satellite also has an advantage in cloudy areas. Older satellites often struggle to capture clear images of rainforests because of cloud cover. The new radar can see through clouds, allowing scientists to get reliable images all year round.

For the scientists involved, this launch marks a turning point in forest research. Dr Cordey said it’s exciting to learn more about trees and their role in the planet’s systems. He added, “It’s going to tell us about something we perhaps take for granted — our forests, our trees — and how they’re part of the processes shaping our climate today and for the future.”

(Inputs from ESA)