UK unveils new satellite to map Earth's forests in 3D to help combat climate change

LONDON, April 25 (KUNA) -- A satellite developed by British academics and engineers is set to become the first in the world to measure the condition of the Earths forests from space, the UK Space Agency stated Friday.
In a statement, the agency said that its revolutionary technology will help scientists capture vital data on the changes to carbon in forests as ecosystems are increasingly impacted by deforestation. Both deforestation, which releases carbon dioxide, and forest growth, which soaks up CO2 from the atmosphere, are crucial parts of climate change, it noted.
The agency argued that this work explains how tropical forests are changing so we can protect future generations from climate breakdown and accelerate the transition to net zero.
From conception to construction, the satellite - called Biomass - has been built in the UK, capitalising on our industrial and academic expertise in space technology while opening up new opportunities to attract future backing from global investors watching its landmark launch on 29 April.
The Biomass satellite will launch from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. (end) nbs.ibi