Space. Built by Airbus in Toulouse, this constellation put into orbit “already arouses great interest”

The four satellites CO3D built by Airbus have been orbit placed by one VEGA-C rocket of Arianespace, This Saturday, July 26, 2025 in the early morning, from the European space port of Kourou, in Guyana. “Excellent news for Europe,” said the aerospace giant, from its world headquarters Toulouse. A fifth satellite, the CNES microcarb, to which Airbus also contributed, was on the rocket. And according to the aircraft manufacturer, this constellation already arouses “a great interest in the current geopolitical context”. We explain why.

A very detailed 3D map of the surface of the earth

Developed in partnership with the National Center for Spatial Studies (CNES), the four CO3D satellites (as 3D optical constellation) will now begin their mission to Very detailed 3D mapping of the surface of the earth.

As the group specifies, these devices “will provide a high -resolution global digital surface (MNS) model, with stereoscopic images at 50 cm resolution for CNES and 2D images for government and commercial customers”, thus reinforcing the full range of optical satellite solutions et radar d’Airbus.

“A great interest in the current geopolitical context”

“The successful launch of the CO3D constellation, a Excellent news For Europe, demonstrates our ingenuity and greatly strengthens our capacities for observing the earth, ”rejoices Alain Fauré, Responsible for space systems at Airbus. “These satellites, based on our new generation S250 product, will now provide A precise 3D card of our planet And will offer more high -revisited and high resolution observation capacities ”.

This product, which already arouses great interest in the current geopolitical context, testifies to Airbus’s commitment to technological, industrial and commercial innovation.

Geology, hydrology, urban planning and civil security

The four 285 kg satellites are now on a Héliosynchrone orbit in 502 km d’altitude. During next six monthsthey will pass orbital tests before starting an 18 -month campaign aimed at providing the CNES A 3D card from France and the “crisis arc”.

The data will feed a digitized soil segment and operated by Airbus to produce the final 3D card, supporting critical military and civil applications ranging from geology and hydrology to urban planning and civil security.

CO3D satellites present “several Technological innovationsin particular a new mode of observation, called Step and Stare ”. Each satellite uses its matrix detector to take images (Stare). With “exceptional agility”, they can cover the area of interest with images of extreme precision.

Inspired “automotive and aeronautical industries”

Still according to Airbus, “the CO3D program benefits from the industrial expertise acquired during the development of satellites of the Oneweb constellation, using a modern and digitized assembly chain in Toulouse which is inspired by industries automobile et aeronautics ”.

Several equipment uses commercial components that are suitable for use in space, in order to provide CO3D with the best performance in the industrial field in the broad sense.

Monitor the carbon content of the atmosphere

Also designed in Toulouse, the satellite MicroCarbjoint mission of the CNES and the British space agency, was successfully deployed during the same launch. Equipped with a high precision spectrometer made by Airbus, microcarb mapping carbon content atmosphere on a planet level, providing essential data to climatologists.

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