France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), in collaboration with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), has selected Thales Alenia Space for the Démonstrateur des Éléments Souverains d’Imagerie Radar (DESIR) programme.
Thales Alenia Space, which is a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, will develop and deliver a radar payload and its user ground segment for this project.
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The DESIR programme seeks to establish an independent French space radar imaging capability to support national strategic autonomy.
DESIR will enhance France’s current Earth observation network by introducing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, facilitating continuous day and night, all-weather observation.
This radar system will complement existing optical surveillance tools used for intelligence gathering and monitoring.
In addition to defence applications, the capabilities developed through DESIR will support environmental observation, crisis response, and maritime monitoring.
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By GlobalDataThales Alenia Space brings experience in Earth observation instruments and ground systems to the project.
Teams specialising in altimetry will contribute to the imaging radar, while work on the user ground segment will use methods previously implemented in international contracts.
A consortium comprising Thales Alenia Space in France, Loft Orbital, and TEKEVER France will deliver the project, with added involvement from several French small and medium-sized enterprises.
Loft Orbital will manage the satellite platform and its ground control segment as the consortium leader.
Thales Alenia Space will provide the payload and user ground segment.
TEKEVER France is responsible for developing the active antenna integrated into the imaging system.
DESIR system is planned for entry into service at the beginning of 2029 with an initial two-year operational period to allow evaluation of this model by the French government regarding its sovereign capacity needs.
The programme builds on previous initiatives by DGA and CNES to foster innovation within France’s defence space sector, including ongoing work under pacte Espace and Cercle de Confiance Espace.
Beyond its technical and operational aims, DESIR is expected to contribute to maintaining domestic expertise in advanced space systems.
Thales Alenia Space CEO Hervé Derrey said: “We are delighted to be working closely with Loft Orbital and TEKEVER France on the DESIR programme, a mission that will serve France’s space sovereignty in radar imaging.”
In October 2023, Thales Alenia Space opened a new manufacturing facility called the Space Smart Factory in Rome, Italy.
