Giant radar ‘umbrella’ launches into space on mission to transform climate science

The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its cutting-edge Biomass satellite into space today at 11:15 CEST from Kourou, French Guiana, aboard a Vega-C rocket. The satellite features an intricate radar antenna, resembling a space umbrella, developed by US defence contractor L3 Harris, designed to map forest biomass with unprecedented detail as part of ESA's efforts to track carbon storage in forests for climate science.