In this video, Klaus Scipal describes his role as Mission Manager of Biomass and SMOS, and what he enjoys about his involvement with these dedicated science missions. 

ESA's Biomass mission is expected to be launched next year, and will provide crucial information about the state of our forests and how they are changing. The data will be used to further our knowledge of the role forests play in the carbon cycle.  

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission is another ESA Earth Explorer. Launched in 2009, the satellite has exceeded all expectations. Operations were recently extended until at least the end of 2025, and new applications for data from the satellite continue to be found, including those related to the cryosphere and space weather.