Forest satellite’s big antenna opens up

ESA’s Biomass ‘umbrella’ unfurls in view from space

Future Space ESA's Biomass spacecraft recenlty unfurled its antenna reflector. See footage from space and animation of the deployment. Credit VideoFromSpaceFuture Space ESA's Biomass spacecraft recenlty unfurled its antenna reflector. See footage from space and animation of the deployment. Credit VideoFromSpace Amazing Future Science & Technology

The Biomass satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA) has deployed the 12-metre-diameter antenna in the form of an umbrella that gives it its characteristic appearance, a fundamental step for its mission to develop more accurate estimates of the amount of carbon stored by forests. The Biomass entry, the European forest satellite, deploys its umbrella-shaped antenna was first published in the Digital Process.

How cool is this Watch as our Biomass's antenna deployments in space! Following liftoff, orbital injection acquisition of its first signal and satellite in-orbit checks, the successful deployment of Biomass’ mesh antenna reflector marks the final key step in the launch and early operations phase.[image or embedded]— European Space Agency (@esa.int) May 7, 2025, 10:59 Just a week after its launch, the European Space Agency (ESA) satellite Biomass…

Mi-parasol, half-linen, this strange structure on a black background is in reality a mirror, intended to reflect radio waves of a few tens of centimetres of wavelength. It is thanks to them that the Biomass satellite, launched by the European Space Agency this 29th century,...

Forest satellite’s big antenna opens up

Just a week after its launch, ESA’s Biomass mission has reached another critical milestone on its path to delivering unprecedented insights into the world’s forests and their vital role in Earth’s carbon cycle – the satellite’s 12-metre-diameter antenna is now fully deployed.