European Space Agency

Our work with the European Space Agency is transforming the way we monitor climate change, ecosystems, and polar regions.

A GPS or Weather Satellite in space orbiting the Earth

Biomass and biodiversity

We have pioneered the use of radar remote sensing techniques to determine above-ground biomass and biomass change, a major pool of Carbon. Biomass is also a strong indicator of local biodiversity. It also provides timber, fuel and other products that support society and its well-being.

Determining the current and subsequent changes in quantities of biomass will help us help us protect forests, agriculture, and biodiversity while informing strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Monitoring Carbon emissions

Methods to measure carbon emissions and sinks are enshrined in international agreements to help combat climate change.

Led by Professor Paul Palmer, our team of scientists have pioneered the interpretation of satellite measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane to infer the size and distribution of their surface changes.  

This work is helping to underpin the global response to the 2015 UN Paris Agreement to measure global Carbon stocks. We have built international partnerships to support national agencies reporting and forecasting greenhouse gas budgets required by the UN Paris Climate Agreement.   

The far-reaching and global impact of our research supports the commitment by UK, European and many international governments to the goals of the UN Paris Agreement to reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming to "well below 2 degrees". 

Monitoring ice sheet and glacier melting

Changes taking place in the Arctic, Antarctic and other glaciated regions are drivers for disruptive global changes, especially sea-level rise, with major impacts worldwide. We developed new data analytic methods from satellite observations, providing greater insight into these regions.

The vast majority of ice loss is concentrated around the margins of Antarctica and Greenland and high-mountain regions. Gathering observations from these hard-to-reach areas is key to generating robust assessments of ice health. These observations have been critical to substantially improving estimates of the rates of ice loss and their contribution to sea-level rise.

Space and satellite projects

More information on our space and satellite projects with the European Space agency:

The EU Copernicus Earth Observation programme was established to fulfil the growing need amongst European policymakers to access accurate and timely information services to better manage the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The UK Government committed 18 billion Euros to Copernicus in 2019 and increased its annual European Space Agency (ESA) subscription to £73 million in 2019. Through the programme, we are involved with industry via consortiums led by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB Sweden.  

The cumulative scientific work led by our scientists has been influential in confirming the feasibility of space-based Carbon Dioxide monitoring system of the Copernicus program (CO2M) and setting mission requirements. Our work has significantly advanced the use of satellite observations of greenhouse gas emissions.

In national and international recognition of his research and expertise, Professor Palmer became the UK member of the European Commission Monitoring Task Force that helped to define the CO2M programme. This task force will ensure the CO2M mission system meets the requirements to gather information on Carbon Dioxide emissions to the standards defined in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The new cryospheric processing techniques developed by our researchers have also been crucial to developing a new European Space Agency (ESA) 300 million Euro satellite mission concept for polar ice and snow topography monitoring within the Copernicus programme. 

You can find out more about the Copernicus programme their website:

Artist graphic of European Space Agency 'COM2' satellite in space orbiting the Earth and highlighting crops
Visit the Copernicus website

The Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission, CHIME, will record new information on plant health and biodiversity.  It will carry a unique infrared spectrometer to provide observations to support new and enhanced services for sustainable agricultural and biodiversity management. The mission is due to launch in 2026.

You can find out more about the CHIME mission on the European Space Agency website:

geos-general-research- space satellites - ESA European Space Agency CHIME
Find out more about CHIME

Our team developed and delivered the supporting case for the Earth Explorer BIOMASS satellite mission in 2013, after advising the European Space Agency (ESA) on mission development since 2009. 

The mission, selected in 2013 with a budget of 420 million Euros, is the first-ever ESA forest-specific monitoring mission to monitor forest biomass change.  Our work and advice were major influences on the ESA's decision to allocate £192 million to Airbus UK to build the satellite in the UK. The satellite launched in mid-2025.   

The BIOMASS mission will determine the amount of biomass and carbon stored aboveground in tropical forests over five years at high resolution. With repeated mapping every nine months, BIOMASS is the first satellite mission in space for P-band radar, uniquely capable of monitoring the densest tropical forests. Our research provided a critical starting point to the mission design and subsequent mission requirements.   

You can find out more about the BIOMASS mission on the European Space Agency website:

More information about BIOMASS

Our researchers' new algorithms have also supported the continuing development and applications of the 170 million Euro ESA CryoSat satellite mission, which monitors ice sheets and sea-ice volume. 

Our researchers have developed new methodologies to process radar data from the CryoSat satellite, leading to the full range of data to be able to be exploited. These have led to a huge increase in the resolution at which ice loss can be routinely and globally mapped from space. This methodology has been applied to reassess climate impact on ice volumes and sea-level rise contribution.  

As a result, our methodology shows that Greenland today is losing ice seven times faster than two decades ago.  It is also pinpointing where the ocean is eroding ice under rapidly melting Antarctic ice shelves. 

It has also led to more accurate volume estimates and applications globally, such as the ice fields of Patagonia.

You can find out more about the CryoSat mission on the ESA website:

In 2019, based on work with researchers, the ESA launched the CryoTEMPO programme.

The programme aims to provide easy to use and hassle-free products on ice-sheet and glacier changes observed by satellites for non-specialist users. It is being delivered in conjunction with our School and the start-up company Earthwave, which was co-founded by Dr Noel Gourmelen.

You can find out more about the CryoTEMPO programme on the ESA website:


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