Press release - 24 April 2023 17:15
ArianeGroup, Eutelsat and Magellium selected to improve French space surveillance capabilities Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Download as PDF
Les Mureaux, Bordeaux, Issy-les-Moulineaux, April 24, 2023
The consortium led by ArianeGroup, in association with Eutelsat and Magellium, has been awarded a contract by CNES under the France 2030 investment plan, to improve space surveillance performance in all orbits.
A combination of new-generation ground-based sensors and orbiting optical sensors will help broaden existing services, increasing the amount of data collected on satellites and space debris.
The project combines the expertise of ArianeGroup, which provides high value-added space surveillance services through its network of ground-based telescopes, Eutelsat for in-orbit and space segment services, and Magellium for image processing.
ArianeGroup, Eutelsat and Magellium have won a contract from the French space agency (CNES), as part of the space component of the France 2030. Investing for the Future plan, with the aim of enhancing space surveillance capabilities in order to substantially improve the security of space operations.
The consortium will provide CNES with a Space Situational Awareness (SSA) data service through the deployment of multi-orbital optical sensors, and the development and implementation of an optical space segment in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), to complement and enhance the performances of the existing ground-based network operated by ArianeGroup.
ArianeGroup is the prime contractor on this project and will supply the surveillance services provided by its ground-based network of telescopes, supplemented by data from the spaceborne sensor that will be developed during the project and then interconnected to ArianeGroup's system. This contract recognizes the quality and efficiency of the space surveillance services already provided by ArianeGroup to its government, institutional and private customers. It is also a vote of confidence in our ability to bring together the very best expertise, provided by partners with complementary skills. Developing sovereign space surveillance capabilities is a strategic priority for France and Europe. We are proud to contribute together to improving security in space, for the benefit of European citizens, said Philippe Clar, Defense Programs Director at ArianeGroup.
This project will build on ArianeGroup's ongoing activities through its telescope surveillance network comprising 15 stations worldwide, which today provides services to government, institutional, and private customers. ArianeGroup provides high-precision daytime and nighttime positioning and orbitography data, and analyzes space objects in various orbits. The service is fully geared to the surveillance, tracking and collision warning needs of civil and military satellite operators, allowing them to protect their satellites against all forms of risk.
Eutelsat, as a co-contractor, will design, procure and operate the first satellite in this space segment and supply the necessary data. To achieve this, Eutelsat has teamed up with Sodern, which has a proven track record in the development and manufacture of cameras for SSA applications, to design and build the on-board space sensor. Exo-atmospheric space is a new challenge for Europes sovereignty and the protection of its space infrastructure. Eutelsat intends to play its part in the global effort to monitor space and understand its environment by leveraging its multi-orbit, multi-mission infrastructure while joining forces with a leading player in space surveillance, explained Serge Cholley, Director of Security and Defence at Eutelsat.
As a French telecommunications satellite operator for the past 45 years, Eutelsat has built up extensive expertise in the space environment by protecting its fleet from orbital risks. It is this know-how that the company is seeking to make available to French and European stakeholders to protect human lives and assets. Eutelsats ambition is twofold: To become the leading space surveillance operator capable of protecting commercial space operations and to be a trusted partner in Frances defence space strategy.
Magellium, also a co-contractor on the project, will develop the image processing for use on different types of optical payloads. Magellium was founded in 2003, based on independent and sovereign expertise in space image processing and its downstream applications. This expertise has been serving space surveillance since 2015, with the development of the space object detection and tracking function of the Tarot satellites for CNES, followed by a noteworthy participation in the EU SST project on the same function, adapted to onboard processing and completed by a versatile and high-fidelity simulator of space observation scenes from both the ground and space. On this ambitious project, Magellium will be implementing its cutting-edge onboard solutions, resulting from its most recent R&D.
The Data Catalog for Space Surveillance RFP was launched on April 29, 2022 and was assigned by the French government to CNES as operator of the France 2030 space component. The objective is to significantly improve the security of space operations through data collection.
The consortium was selected in December 2022 from among the five short-listed contenders, with its proposal to develop innovative optical sensors, both on Earth and in space. These sensors will aim to significantly improve the number of objects catalogued in all orbits, as well as their precise orbital location and the regularity of observation, while detecting smaller objects.
The synergies made possible by the combination of new-generation ground-based sensors and satellites equipped with optical sensors will significantly improve the data collected by ArianeGroup
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Press release - 24 April 2023 17:15 
