Biomass—an Earth Explorer research mission developed within ESA's FutureEO program—was launched less than two months ago. This new mission is, therefore, still in the process of being commissioned, but its first set of images are stunning nonetheless.

ESA's Biomass Project Manager, Michael Fehringer, commented, "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.

"Biomass is equipped with novel space technology, so we've been closely monitoring its performance in orbit, and we're very pleased to report that everything is functioning smoothly and its first images are nothing short of spectacular—and they're only a mere glimpse of what is still to come."

Biomass is the first satellite to carry a P-band synthetic aperture radar, its signal capable of penetrating forest canopies to measure woody biomass—trunks, branches and stems. These measurements serve as a proxy for carbon storage, the assessment of which is the mission's primary objective.

While it settles into its life in orbit, ESA's pioneering Biomass mission is already returning data. The satellite, its instrument and systems are still being calibrated so these first data cannot yet be used to quantify carbon or support scientific advances, but they do show that Biomass is well on track to achieving its goals.