Earth observation systems

Earth observation from space

The world's nº1 exporter

of earth observation systems

5 Leading-edge satellite systems

for customised solutions

100% of satellites for intl. customers

delivered on schedule

State-of-the-art satellites

Airbus is the go-to supplier for end-to-end earth observation satellite systems and High-Altitude Platform Stations. Its comprehensive portfolio means Airbus is able to provide the right satellite and system for every customer – whether they need a weather-independent data source, a small constellation for high-frequency revisits, very high-resolution imagery or even all of the above (and more) in a single system.

Optical earth observation satellites

S250 optical

A compact satellite with hyper agility
- Massive acquisition capacity
- High performance ground segment
- Operated alone or in constellation for an increased revisit rate

S950 optical

The world reference satellite for the most demanding missions
- Highest resolution with the most accurate geolocation
- Ultimate reactivity
- Selected for Airbus’ own Pléiades Neo constellation

Earth observation from space: a key asset for a nation

Earth observation satellites and associated data are high–added value assets to support decision-making
at the national level. Remote sensing and geographic information systems are estimated to cost 10 times less than traditional ground surveying methods, taking half the time to retrieve useful information.

Radar earth observation satellites

S250 radar

High resolution radar satellite, constellation designed
- Excellent agility and image performance
- Optimised revisit rates
- Simplified common operations for S250 radar/ optical constellations

S4000 radar

First-class satellite in radar imaging and interferometry
- Ultra-high resolution and high sensitivity
- Unrivalled interferometry accuracy
- Multiple in-orbit references: Terrasar-X, Tandem-X, SARah, PAZ

Zephyr high altitude platform station (HAPS)

Zephyr is a solar-powered HAPS aircraft capable of staying aloft in the stratosphere for days, weeks, months at a time. With a current proven endurance of over 60 days of continuous flight, combined with Airbus’ Strat-Observer service, it can deliver an ultra-persistent, near-real-time, very-high-resolution earth observation capability.

Zephyr is a payload agnostic platform, meaning that it can host a variety of other payloads, such as a direct-to-device communication payload; enabling high-coverage, low-latency mobile connectivity.

Learn more about Zephyr at Airbus