Vega C VV26 : Biomass : 29 April 2025 (09:15 UTC)

[bolun]

https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/EarthObservation/BIOMASS_Press_Pack_250418.pdf

Biomass mission kit

[bolun]

https://newsroom.arianespace.com/vega-c-flight-vv26?lang=eng

Launch kit

[jacqmans]

Biomass on the launch pad
22/04/2025

ESA’s Biomass satellite, encapsulated within a Vega-C rocket fairing, has been rolled out to the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana ahead of liftoff, planned for 29 April at 11:15 CEST.

Once in orbit, this latest Earth Explorer mission will provide vital insights into the health and dynamics of the world’s forests, revealing how they are changing over time and, critically, enhancing our understanding of their role in the global carbon cycle.

CREDIT
ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–T. Leduc

[StraumliBlight]

The satellite is released into orbit about one hour after liftoff, after which it opens its solar panel.

A few days after ESA’s Earth Explorer Biomass satellite has been launched and after its very first health checks in orbit have been done,  a series of complex manoeuvres are carried out to deploy its 12-metre diameter mesh reflector, which is supported by a boom, which is 7.5 metres long.

The deployment of the boom is carried out in three carefully planned separate stages, each of which takes about seven minutes. However, only one step is carried out per day and during selected passes that offer maximum coverage from the ground stations. This ensures that each step of the boom deployment is full ‘visible’ to the satellite operators.

Once the boom is fully extended above the satellite, another step opens up the fine wire mesh antenna, like an umbrella. This takes around 20 minutes and is a critical phase that has to be carried out during a pass that offers 50% visibility of the deployment process to the ground stations.

Final preparations for Biomass operations [Apr 23]

Special unboxing

More than anything, the team has rehearsed the deployment of the satellite’s 12-meter-diameter deployable reflector antenna. The complexity of Biomass and its umbrella-shaped reflector make the LEOP unique. While a satellite usually takes between three to four days to get ready for life in Earth orbit, the Biomass team will take an exceptional nine days to deploy the satellite.

“After bringing the spacecraft to life, checking its subsystem and commissioning the ground segment, our team will begin the careful deployment of the reflector. Each boom will be deployed individually before deploying the entire reflector. The whole operation will take around five days,” says Elia Maestroni.

"Precision and care are paramount in this meticulous and exceptionally long process. For this reason, we will adapt our schedule for the LEOP and rely on three shifts of eight hours instead of two of twelve. The night shift will only be dedicated to monitoring the spacecraft. I have full trust in the mission operations team to overcome this unique challenge successfully”.

Flight dynamics ready for orbit determination

On the other side of the Main Control Room, from which the satellite will be controlled, another part of the team has been preparing for the start of its operational activities: flight dynamics. Right from separation - which will happen a bit less than an hour after launch – the team will perform one of the most critical activities in any new mission: the first orbit determination, which will precisely identify the actual orbit of the satellite.

“A spacecraft is never perfectly injected into its designed trajectory, as any imprecision in launcher performance will be reflected in the spacecraft’s actual orbit. We have been rehearsing many scenarios with different orbits – and the ways to correctly inject the spacecraft into the right orbit. Our estimation of the actual injection orbit will allow us to create a plan to move the satellite precisely and timely into its final orbit,” says Pere Ramos Bosch, Flight Dynamics Manager of Biomass.

“We have also rehearsed the deployment of the antenna and later, the ongoing orbit maintenance of the complex trajectory that Biomass needs to follow during routine operations".

Ground stations at the ready

Around the poles, at around 2,000 kilometres North of ESOC and 14,000 kilometres South, the mission’s ground stations are gearing up as well. In the last hours before launch, as part of the “network countdown”, the final tests will be carried out to make sure that all the conditions are in place for the launch.

That means checking voice and data links with the ground stations and ensuring that telemetry, telecommand and tracking as well as radiometric functions are in place between ESOC, the ground stations and the spacecraft.

Just a bit less than an hour after launch, ground stations engineers at the Troll Station in Antarctica will receive the first signals from the satellite. Soon after, telemetry will start to flow to ESA mission control in Germany.

The mission will rely on a network of ESA and non-ESA ground stations, including Kiruna, Inuvik, Svalbard, and the above-mentioned Troll station. These stations will provide telemetry for up to ten minutes per pass, ensuring continuous monitoring and data collection.

Dress rehearsal

All the preparations will comprehensive final simulation of the countdown and launch sequence, scheduled on 23 April, that puts together teams at ESOC with the joint ESA, Arianespace and industry launch team in Kourou.

During the rehearsal, the mission control team will receive live signals from the satellite via an umbilical connection that will be disconnected shortly before launch. Once this last step is completed, mission control will be fully to launch Biomass and give it the GO!

[randomname]

NGA rocket launching notice for this launch.

221926Z APR 25
NAVAREA IV 462/25(24).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FRENCH GUIANA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCH
   0905Z TO 0945Z DAILY 29 APR THRU 29 MAY
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   05-23.46N 052-53.80W, 05-48.00N 052-54.00W,
   05-50.55N 052-26.40W, 05-12.60N 052-40.98W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 291045Z MAY 25.//

[jacqmans]

Watch Biomass launch live
24/04/2025

ESA's Biomass mission is on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Don’t miss the live coverage of liftoff on Tuesday 29 April, on ESA WebTV. Coverage will start at 10:55 CEST with commentary live from Kourou and ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Germany. The Vega-C rocket carrying Biomass is scheduled for liftoff at 11:15.

About Biomass
Biomass is one of ESA’s Earth Explorer missions and, like other Earth Explorers, it uses advanced space technology to provide new data. Biomass will advance our understanding of forests and their importance in the carbon cycle and climate.

We already know that forests play a vital role in Earth’s carbon cycle by absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide. This helps to regulate the planet’s temperature. Data from Biomass will help us produce more accurate estimates of how much carbon is contained in forests' organic matter, or biomass, and reduce uncertainties in carbon stock and flux estimates, including those related to land-use change, forest loss, and regrowth.

Its P-band radar – the first of its kind used in space – penetrates clouds and forest layers, scattering signals off forest vegetation. These signals reveal details such as forest biomass and height. The Biomass mission's data will improve knowledge of the state of Earth’s forests and how they are changing. It also enables the mapping of subsurface geology in deserts, ice sheet structures and forest floor topography.

The satellite was developed by over 50 companies led by Airbus UK.

Follow the launch live on 29 April
Watch the Biomass launch live on ESA WebTV and on Arianespace’s YouTube channel.

Programme
(All times in CEST)

11:15 Biomass launches on Vega-C
12:13 Separation and placement of Biomass in orbit
12:27 Acquisition of signal
12:38 End of launch broadcast
13:15 Press conference
14:00 Broadcast ends
Follow us on social
Follow ESA Earth observation on social media for more updates and live coverage of the Biomass launch using the #Biomass hashtag.

X: @esa @ESA_Earth Observation @ESA_Operations

Instagram: @europeanspaceagency @ESA_Earth

More information on the Biomass mission: www.esa.int/biomass

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass/Watch_Biomass_launch_live#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=d380d77e-11e1-4272-b2d1-e788e0fd0100

[jacqmans]

Biomass poised for liftoff to unveil forest secrets
28/04/2025

After years of careful design and preparation, ESA’s Earth Explorer Biomass satellite is set for launch tomorrow, 29 April at 11:15 CEST, aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

This groundbreaking mission will offer unprecedented insights into the state and evolution of the world’s forests. By mapping the woody material in Earth’s forests, this revolutionary satellite will play a crucial role in deepening our understanding of how forests influence the global carbon cycle.

ESA’s Biomass Project Manager, Michael Fehringer, said, “After years of innovation and cooperation with the scientific community and the space industry, we’re more than excited to see the satellite ready for launch. This new mission will advance our ability to quantify forest carbon stocks and fluxes, which is key to understanding and assessing the impacts of climate change.

“Tomorrow, we will bid a fond farewell to our satellite as it embarks on its journey to begin a new chapter in orbit – where its real work begins.”

Biomass carries the first P-band synthetic aperture radar ever flown in space – a powerful instrument with a 70 cm wavelength capable of penetrating cloud cover and dense forest canopies to provide detailed information on forest biomass, which is essentially the woody material, forest height and structure.

Its data will significantly improve our understanding of carbon storage, forest health and how these ecosystems are changing over time.

In addition to measuring forest biomass, the radar can also be used to map subsurface geology in arid regions, study ice sheet structures, and reveal forest floor topography.

The mission exemplifies the essence of an Earth Explorer – research missions developed under ESA’s FutureEO programme that pioneer innovative space technologies while tackling fundamental scientific questions to enhance our understanding of Earth’s complex systems.

While the Biomass satellite waits patiently within its Vega-C rocket fairing atop the rest of the rocket on the launch pad, final checks for the launch are underway – not only at the launch site, but also at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Germany where controllers are preparing to take care of this precious satellite in orbit.

Notably, the team has rehearsed the deployment of the satellite’s 12-meter-diameter reflector antenna. The complexity of Biomass and its umbrella-shaped reflector make the launch and early orbit phase unique and relatively long.

As the world awaits liftoff, Biomass stands ready to deliver vital knowledge about one of our most precious ecosystems – forests.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass/Biomass_poised_for_liftoff_to_unveil_forest_secrets#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=47a204d6-1a5b-4fde-bdf8-d06406140100

[jacqmans]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Webcast (English, French, Italian):

[jcm]

NGA rocket launching notice for this launch.

221926Z APR 25
NAVAREA IV 462/25(24).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FRENCH GUIANA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCH
   0905Z TO 0945Z DAILY 29 APR THRU 29 MAY
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   05-23.46N 052-53.80W, 05-48.00N 052-54.00W,
   05-50.55N 052-26.40W, 05-12.60N 052-40.98W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 291045Z MAY 25.//

Any notam for the AVUM deorbit?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

NGA rocket launching notice for this launch.

221926Z APR 25
NAVAREA IV 462/25(24).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FRENCH GUIANA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCH
   0905Z TO 0945Z DAILY 29 APR THRU 29 MAY
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   05-23.46N 052-53.80W, 05-48.00N 052-54.00W,
   05-50.55N 052-26.40W, 05-12.60N 052-40.98W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 291045Z MAY 25.//

Any notam for the AVUM deorbit?

E1116/25 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QRDCA/IV/BO/W/000/999/2104S08936E450
A) YMMM
B) 2504291130 C) 2505091246
D) DAILY 1130-1246
E) TEMPO DANGER AREA ACT
DUE ROCKET LAUNCH FROM FRENCH GUIANA WILL TAKE PLACE
VEGA C LAUNCH VV26 LAST STAGE FALLING AREA (AVUM) WILL IMPACT THE
MELBOURNE FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (FIR)
THE DANGER ZONE IS BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING COORDINATES:
1419S09041E, 1431S09136E, 2748S08825E, 2736S08725E.
F) SFC G) UNL

[jcm]

NGA rocket launching notice for this launch.

221926Z APR 25
NAVAREA IV 462/25(24).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FRENCH GUIANA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCH
   0905Z TO 0945Z DAILY 29 APR THRU 29 MAY
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   05-23.46N 052-53.80W, 05-48.00N 052-54.00W,
   05-50.55N 052-26.40W, 05-12.60N 052-40.98W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 291045Z MAY 25.//

Any notam for the AVUM deorbit?

E1116/25 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QRDCA/IV/BO/W/000/999/2104S08936E450
A) YMMM
B) 2504291130 C) 2505091246
D) DAILY 1130-1246
E) TEMPO DANGER AREA ACT
DUE ROCKET LAUNCH FROM FRENCH GUIANA WILL TAKE PLACE
VEGA C LAUNCH VV26 LAST STAGE FALLING AREA (AVUM) WILL IMPACT THE
MELBOURNE FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (FIR)
THE DANGER ZONE IS BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING COORDINATES:
1419S09041E, 1431S09136E, 2748S08825E, 2736S08725E.
F) SFC G) UNL

Thanks. This is similar to the zone for Sentinel-1C so I suspect the third stage will also
be like that flight, near 161W 81N.

[jacqmans]

https://twitter.com/AirbusSpace/status/1917106717059317817

[jacqmans]

Mission control GO for Biomass launch
28/04/2025

One last team photo before launch. Today, at ESA’s ESOC mission control centre, in Darmstadt, Germany, the Biomass team gathered for the pre-launch briefing.

ESA's forest satellite, to be flown from ESOC, is scheduled for launch from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, in French Guiana, on 29 April.

Biomass is one of ESA’s Earth Explorer missions and, like other Earth Explorers, it uses advanced space technology to provide new data. Biomass will advance our understanding of forests and their importance in the carbon cycle and climate.

Over the winter, a large team at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) has been preparing and rehearsing for the satellite's first and most critical moments in space - the 'Launch and Early Orbit' phase.

Counting to bit over a hundred people, this 'team of teams' gathers engineers and scientists - working in the ground segment, flight dynamics, software and networks – as well as experts from the satellite’s manufacturer and instrument teams.

Shaping this team into a single cohesive unit is the goal of this 'simulation campaign'.

As part of it, the team is faced with many events, from software errors to critical failures, specifically designed to test its capabilities to identify issues, adapt the mission’s timeline and, more generally, work under stress and time pressure.

Preparations, rehearsals, briefings, and team photos now complete, mission control is GO for launch!

[jacqmans]

https://twitter.com/ESA_transport/status/1917116363245572203

[jacqmans]

https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1917138210204828049

[jacqmans]

https://twitter.com/SimonettaCheli/status/1917137845644361820

[jacqmans]

https://twitter.com/EuropeSpacePort/status/1917141292074619182

[lucspace]

Slight underperformance of stage 1?

[jacqmans]

Looks like the AVUM uppers stage corrected it