Airbus Secures €345M Contract to Manufacture Radars for Sentinel-1 NG in Friedrichshafen
On Wednesday, Airbus inked a €345 million deal with Thales Alenia Space to develop and produce two radar instruments for the European Union's Copernicus program's Sentinel-1 NG constellation. Announced at the ILA Berlin Air Show, the contract involves two radar instruments that will be manufactured and tested in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
A Significant Contract for Climate Observation
Airbus has been selected to design and build two C-band radar instruments for the Sentinel-1 NG constellation, a flagship initiative of the EU's Copernicus program. The contract, valued at €345 million, is signed with Thales Alenia Space (a 67% Thales and 33% Leonardo joint venture) acting as the industrial prime contractor on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA).
These Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments will generate data for global climate change monitoring. SAR technology operates in all weather conditions, day and night, penetrating cloud cover, and providing uninterrupted surveillance over land and oceans.
Four Times Wider Coverage and Enhanced Resolution
The Sentinel-1 NG constellation represents a significant technical advancement. Compared to the earlier Sentinel-1 satellites launched between 2014 and 2025, the new generation will offer four times wider coverage (400 km versus 250 km) and a fourfold improvement in geometric resolution (5 m × 5 m versus 5 m × 20 m).
The system will incorporate an advanced active beam scanning technology called Multiple Aperture Processing Scheme (MAPS). Unlike previous satellites, the new constellation will extend its coverage to both polar regions. The first launch is scheduled for 2034, ensuring data continuity into the 2040s.
Manufacturing in Germany and Task Distribution
Airbus will manufacture and test the entire C-band radar system at its Friedrichshafen site in Germany. Beyond the radar itself, the group will handle the satellite's mechanical, thermal, and propulsion subsystems, as well as critical mission performance engineering.
Thales Alenia Space Italia will oversee the development of the radar's electronic subsystem and the provision of T/R modules. The satellite will be based on Thales Alenia Space's MILA platform, already used for the Copernicus CHIME, ROSE-L, and CIMR missions. Thales Alenia Space leads the assembly, integration, and testing of the two satellites.
