Giant radar ‘umbrella’ launches into space on mission to transform climate science

The European Space Agency (ESA) has blasted its Biomass satellite into space aboard a Vega-C rocket. The launch took place at 11:15 (CEST) today from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.  Now in orbit, the first-of-its-kind satellite will deploy a radar antenna that looks like a giant space umbrella. Developed by US defence contractor L3 Harris, the antenna is so intricate that it will take nine days to unfold in orbit. The umbrella’s job is to direct radar pulses from a P-band radar instrument mounted on the satellite’s body down to the forests below. This type of radar uses long…

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