Sener Supports ESA’s Biomass Mission Aimed at Fighting Global Warming by Tracking Earth’s Forests

The industrial engineering and technology group Sener has taken part in the Biomass mission, a scientific project led by the European Space Agency (ESA) that seeks to improve understanding of the carbon cycle and global warming processes through the monitoring of forest biomass. Biomass is part of ESA’s Earth Explorer programme and is designed to deliver precise data on forest conditions and deforestation worldwide. This data will enable the generation of high-resolution, three-dimensional maps of forests, significantly contributing to global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Sener is involved in the mission as part of an international consortium comprising 50 companies from 20 countries.

Sener has developed the Reception Amplification Subsystem (RAS), a crucial part of the Biomass satellite’s electronic system. The RAS is responsible for amplifying incoming radar signals, ensuring low interference and high precision in data capture. This subsystem includes several critical components, such as filters and low-noise amplifiers, all of which have been rigorously designed and tested to meet the mission’s demanding requirements.

In addition, Sener in Poland has been responsible for the design, manufacture, and testing of the structural assembly devices for the Biomass satellite. These devices include equipment for vertical transport of the satellite, the assembly and disassembly of panels, and the integration of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), the mission’s primary research instrument. This radar, with a 12-metre diameter antenna, can penetrate the forest canopy and scan trunks and branches, providing essential data for the creation of 3D forest maps.

The Biomass satellite is scheduled for launch on 29 April from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, aboard a Vega-C launcher. The mission is expected to last a minimum of five years. During this time, the data gathered by the satellite will be crucial for improving projections of the carbon cycle and supporting environmental policymaking on a global scale.