News:Space-age mapping of the world's forests

By Peter Bowes BBC News, Los Angeles
Peter Bowes takes a crane ride high above the forest canopy

Using satellites and lasers, scientists have produced a unique map that details the heights of the world's forests.

For the first time, using a uniform method, the map spans the entire globe. Scientists from Colorado State University and Nasa say it will help them build an inventory of how much carbon the world's forests store and how much is recycled back into the atmosphere.
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News:EU awards Galileo satellite-navigation contracts

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

Sat-nav will become ubiquitous in mobile phones

A German/UK consortium has been asked to supply the first operational spacecraft for Europe's Galileo satellite-navigation system.

OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) will build 14 satellites in a contract valued at 566m euros ($811m; £510m).

The contract was announced by the European Commission in Brussels.

Galileo is intended as an EU version of the US Global Positioning System (GPS), but with significant improvements.

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