The four latest-generation optical satellites developed by Airbus in collaboration with the French Space Agency CNES are now in transit to their launch site in French Guiana. Having departed from Toulouse, the satellites are heading to the European Spaceport in Kourou, where they will lift off aboard an Arianespace Vega-C rocket on 25 July.
Known as CO3D (Constellation Optique 3D), these dual-use satellites were designed and built by Airbus to provide global high-resolution digital surface model (DSM) services for CNES. Each satellite will deliver 50cm stereo imagery and 2D imagery to support a wide range of government and commercial applications. The CO3D constellation will also enhance Airbus’s existing portfolio of optical and radar capabilities, further strengthening its position in Earth observation solutions.
“CO3D is not only a step up in operational capability, it is also a game changer in terms of technological, industrial and commercial innovations. A partnership in French ingenuity, thanks to strong support from CNES, it will further enhance the S250: our next-generation dual-use optical satellite product that is already attracting particular interest in today’s geopolitical context,” said Alain Fauré, head of space systems at Airbus.
Weighing around 285kg each and equipped with full-electric propulsion, the four spacecraft will operate for eight years, in pairs orbiting on opposite sides of the Earth, with the satellites in each pair 100km apart. They will be able to provide stereo imagery from a heliosynchronous orbit at 502km altitude.
This data will feed a cloud-based ground segment operated by Airbus, including an image processing chain provided by CNES, to create a state-of-the-art 3D map of Earth’s landmass. The data will support both military needs for precise, current cartography and civil applications such as hydrology, geology, civil security, urban planning and land management.
After six months of in-orbit testing, the satellites will take 18 months to deliver a 3D map of France and the ‘crisis arc’ region to CNES. Once this service is complete, the satellites will be available for other imagery missions and customers.
Innovations include LASIN, an optical laser communication demonstrator enabling data rates up to 10 gigabits per second, far beyond traditional X-band capabilities. The satellites are also designed to run custom onboard applications, including artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, to detect and extract features such as vessels or aircraft in real time.
CO3D will also operate in low-light conditions thanks to its advanced sensor with noise reduction and an innovative control mode. This allows detailed imaging at night, for example in urban areas.
Beyond CO3D, the programme benefits from Airbus’s experience with constellation production, using standardized equipment, optimized supply chains, and a digitally integrated assembly line in Toulouse inspired by aeronautics and automotive series production.
On the same launch, the carbon monitoring satellite Microcarb – a joint mission by CNES and the UK Space Agency – will also be deployed. Equipped with an Airbus-built spectrometer, Microcarb will map global carbon content to help scientists better track carbon sinks and sources.
Airbus CO3D optical constellation satellites heading to launch site | GIM International
