October 28th, 2026 | 2:00 PM CEST
Live on Microsoft Teams.
On October 28th, the ESA Φ-Lab Collaborative Innovation Network will host a new Φ-talk. Details are below.
Meet the speaker
Klaus Scipal has twenty-five years of experience in earth science, satellite remote sensing, and technical innovation. He earned a Master's in geodesy and a Doctorate in technical sciences from Vienna University of Technology. His professional journey includes positions as Assistant Professor at the Vienna University of Technology, Research Scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in the UK, and Mission Scientist at the European Space Agency's Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands. Since 2020, Klaus has served as Mission Manager for the SMOS and BIOMASS satellite missions at ESA's Centre for Earth Observation in Italy.
Talk abstract
The European Space Agency's BIOMASS mission, launched in April 2025, is designed to quantify global forest carbon stocks and improve Earth system models. To accomplish this, the satellite carries the first spaceborne P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), featuring full polarimetric observation capabilities and an orbit designed for interferometric and tomographic image reconstructions. Following its commissioning phase, initial operations have yielded the mission's first public data streams and 3D tomographic datasets of forest structures. This presentation will analyse the driving requirements of the sensor design, evaluate these initial data outputs, and discuss the primary technical challenges and opportunities ahead.
Register Here!