Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Madrid, June 26, 2025 - The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract to Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), to perform the mission consolidation study of the SIRIUS mission (Space Based Infra-Red Imager for Urban Sustainability), in the frame of the Scout missions, part of ESAs Earth Observation FutureEO programme. The SIRIUS mission aims to observe European cities from space using thermal infrared (TIR) data products, which allow the measurement of the temperature of objects from a distance. The objective is to understand how Urban Heat Islands modify the local climate. Urban Heat Islands are areas in cities where higher temperatures are recorded than in the surrounding rural areas, as a result of heat accumulation on impermeable surfaces, sparse vegetation, and human activity.
SIRIUS Thales Alenia Space/ Briot
Fostering urban sustainability In a global context marked by climate change and the accelerated growth of cities, urgent challenges arise for urban resilience and environmental sustainability. Of the 8.2 billion people currently inhabiting the planet, more than half live in urban environments, and this figure is expected to rise to 6.5 billion by 2050, reaching two-thirds of the population. Rapid urban expansion can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and generate new threats to health, the environment, and well-being, especially when it occurs without adequate planning.
One of the most problematic consequences of accelerated urbanization is the increase in Urban Heat Islands. Generally, cities register higher temperatures than rural areas, especially at night, when the difference can be as much as 12 C. This phenomenon, intensified by the effects of climate change, not only impacts physical health and psychological well-being but also influences daily habits and economic dynamics. Additionally, it can lead to a significant increase in morbidity and mortality rates, as well as a notable rise in energy consumption in urban areas.
Having accurate information about surface temperature in urban environments through heat maps obtained frequently and sustained over time is key to understanding the phenomenon of Urban Heat Islands. This data becomes an essential tool for guiding decisions in urban planning and the development of effective climate policies.
Signature Ceremony at the Living Planet Symposium in Vienna - Simonetta Cheli, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes and Ismael L pez, CEO of Thales Alenia Space in Spain Thales Alenia Space
An innovative approach to Urban Heat Island monitoring from space ESAs Scout missions are intended as an agile, fast and low-cost approach to prove new concepts in Earth observation, with a scientific research focus. Their total value is limited to 35 million euros, including launch, and their development must be completed within a maximum period of 3 years, from the start of implementation to flight acceptance.
The SIRIUS mission is designed to provide night-time observations of several European cities on a daily basis for a period of three or more years, with a native resolution of 64 meters, perfectly suited to the needs of Urban Heat Islands monitoring. Its rapid development, high resolution, scalable and cost-effective approach relies on the Smart-TIRI instrument developed by Thales Alenia Space. This miniaturized thermal infrared imaging instrument uses an innovative microbolometer-based detection solution, which avoids the need for expensive cooling systems. A prototype of the Smart-TIRI instrument was developed within the framework of the MORERA project with outstanding results.
Ismael L pez, CEO of Thales Alenia Space in Spain, said: We are very pleased to receive ESA's support to carry out the consolidation study of the SIRIUS mission, based on our Smart-TIRI instrument, an innovative, compact, high-performance technology, with very competitive cost. This solution led by Thales Alenia Space in Spain is very well suited for different applications of great environmental and sustainability interest, such as monitoring Urban Heat Islands, a growing phenomenon with significant health, environmental, and socioeconomic implications.
About the SIRIUS industrial consortium Besides being responsible for the development of the Smart-TIRI instrument, Thales Alenia Space in Spain is the prime contractor of the SIRIUS mission and leads a consortium of various partners, including the University of Valencia (Spain), whose professor Jos Antonio Sobrino acts as the scientific lead of the project, playing a crucial role in defining and refining the scientific objectives of the mission and addressing priority scientific questions. Also participating are Kongsberg Nano Avionics (Lithuania), responsible for the small satellite platform based on their flight-proven Nano Avionics MP42H model and its Flight Operations Segment; Thales Alenia Space in France, which will perform mission analysis, support the development of the end-to-end simulator and carry out image quality activities; and the National Institute for Aerospace Technology, INTA (Spain), responsible for the definition of the end-to-end performance simulator.
ABOUT THALES ALENIA SPACE Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental monitoring, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Facebook 
