A satellite developed by British academics and engineers is set to help measure the condition of the Earth’s forests from space.

The work could be crucial to enhance our understanding on how tropical forests are changing, better helping us protect future generations from climate breakdown. The data will also be used by the UK government to accelerate the country’s transition to net zero under its Plan for Change.

From conception to construction, the satellite, called Biomass, has been built in the UK, and is set to be launched on 29 April.

The satellites construction helped support about 250 jobs at Airbus UK in Stevenage, helping to bolster the UK’s 52,000 strong space workforce.

The Biomass satellite will launch from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Since 2016, the UK has won almost 91 million Euros in contracts for Biomass through its membership of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Conceived at the University of Sheffield, the satellite will create a 3D map of tropical forests after 17 months, then new (non-3D) maps every 9 months for the rest of the 5-year mission, providing insights normally hidden from human sight because of the difficulty in accessing these environments.

The technology will help scientists capture vital data on the changes to carbon in forests as ecosystems are increasingly impacted by deforestation.

“The Biomass mission showcases British ingenuity at its very best, from conception in Sheffield to construction in Stevenage,” minister for space, Sir Chris Bryant, said.

“Britain is not only stepping to the forefront of the space industry, but of global climate action too.

“Contributing to such great extent to a European mission set to deliver vital global results is testament to the UK’s industrial and academic expertise in space technology and will attract global investment into our vibrant space ecosystem, helping us boost growth and deliver our Plan for Change.”

Both deforestation, which releases carbon dioxide and forest growth, which soaks up CO2 from the atmosphere, are crucial parts of climate change.

Data on the biomass of tropical forests is very limited because these dense forests are often difficult to access on the ground.

The Biomass satellite will be able to penetrate cloud cover and measure forest biomass more accurately than any current technology, which only see the top of the canopy.

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By providing better data it will help create a more accurate global carbon budget and better understanding of carbon sinks and sources which will help in developing and implementing effective strategies to achieve net-zero goals.

Observations will also lead to better insight into the rates of habitat loss and, as a result, the effect this may have on biodiversity in the forest environment.

“It’s been a privilege to have led the team in the development of a pioneering mission that will revolutionise our understanding of the volume of carbon held in the most impenetrable tropical rainforests on the planet and, crucially, how this is changing over time,” Shaun Quegan, University of Sheffield’s Professor and lead proposer of the mission concept said.

“Our research has solved critical operational scientific problems in constructing the Biomass satellite.

“Conceived and built in the UK, Biomass is a brilliant example of what we can achieve in collaboration with our partners in industry and academia. The mission is the culmination of decades of highly innovative work in partnership with some of the best scientists in Europe and the US.”