Airbus set to deliver next-generation radar for Sentinel-1 NG

Airbus has awarded Thales Alenia Space a landmark €345 million contract for a flagship component of the EU's Copernicus programme on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). The deal marks a major milestone in Earth observation: the development and production of two cutting-edge C-band radar instruments for the Sentinel-1 NG constellation. Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%).

The powerful C-band radars will play a pivotal role in the global response to climate change, delivering millimetre-level precision to track sea-level rise, glacier movements and land deformation. Where optical sensors fall short, SAR technology steps in, penetrating cloud cover and operating in total darkness to ensure uninterrupted, 24/7 all-weather monitoring across both land and open ocean.

The next-generation radars represent a significant leap forward in Earth observation capability. Compared to the original Sentinel-1, the NG constellation will offer substantially wider coverage (400km vs 250km swath), a fourfold boost in geometric resolution (5m x 5m vs 5m x 20m), and extended reach to both polar regions, made possible by advanced active beam steering through Multiple Aperture Processing Scheme (MAPS) technology.

Synthetic aperture radar technology

“This contract is a ringing endorsement of Airbus’ expertise in synthetic aperture radar technology and, with a first launch expected in 2034, will ensure continuity of data into the 2040s,” said Marc Steckling, head of Earth Observation, Science and Space Exploration at Airbus Defence and Space. “Thanks to their improved performance, the Sentinel-1 NG radars will enhance the existing services and applications but also allow the development of new ones, such as maritime surveillance.”

This contract continues the Sentinel-1 success story, following Airbus' role in building all four radar instruments for the previous Sentinel-1 satellites, with Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor, launched between 2014 and 2025.

Airbus will manufacture and test the complete C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) at its Friedrichshafen facility in Germany. Its scope extends well beyond the radar itself, covering the spacecraft's mechanical, thermal and propulsion subsystems, as well as mission performance engineering. Thales Alenia Space Italia will supply the SAR electronics subsystem and T/R modules, while the satellites will be built on Thales Alenia Space's proven MILA platform, already flying on Copernicus missions including CHIME, ROSE-L and CIMR. Thales Alenia Space will also oversee assembly, integration and testing of both satellites.