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Airbus CO3D Satellites Successfully Launched to Map Earth in 3D

Our Bureau - : Jul 26, 2025 - : 1:59 pm

Four Airbus-built CO3D (Constellation Optique 3D) satellites have been launched into orbit aboard an Arianespace Vega-C rocket from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Developed in partnership with the French Space Agency (CNES), the satellites will begin their mission...

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Designed for both civil and defence applications, the CO3D satellites will produce a global high-resolution Digital Surface Model (DSM). The system will provide CNES with 50 cm stereo imagery, while offering 2D imagery to other government and commercial clients. The mission is intended to complement Airbus’s broader portfolio of optical and radar Earth observation capabilities.

“The successful launch of the CO3D constellation is a testament to European ingenuity and a major step forward in our first class Earth observation capabilities,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “Thanks to our strong partnership with CNES, these satellites, based on our next-generation S250 product, can now deliver a game-changing 3D map of our planet and provide high revisit and high resolution observation capabilities. This programme, which is already attracting significant interest in today’s geopolitical context, showcases our commitment to technological, industrial, and commercial innovation.”

Now in a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 502 km, the four 285 kg satellites will undergo in-orbit testing over the next six months. Following this phase, they will embark on an 18-month campaign to map France and key geopolitical regions. The collected data will be processed via a cloud-based ground system operated by Airbus to generate the final 3D map. The output will support a range of applications including geology, hydrology, urban development, and civil protection.

The satellites incorporate a new imaging approach known as Step and Stare. Using a matrix detector, each satellite captures images (Stare) and covers areas approximately 7 km by 5 km in size. Their manoeuvrability allows for quick repositioning (Step), enabling coverage swaths of 7, 14, 21, or 28 km.

Manufactured using Airbus’s digitalised production line in Toulouse, the CO3D satellites draw on expertise gained from the OneWeb constellation. Several components include modified commercial off-the-shelf parts, adapted to meet space-grade standards.

Also launched on the same mission was MicroCarb, a collaborative satellite between CNES and the UK Space Agency. Carrying a spectrometer built by Airbus, MicroCarb will measure atmospheric carbon concentrations worldwide, supporting ongoing climate research.

Airbus / French-space-agency-cnes / Co3d-satellites /

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