Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
The launch was on an Ariane 6 rocket from French Guyana. (Photo: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE-ArianeGroup)
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
The third and final Airbus CSO observation satellite (CSO-3) was launched from French Guyana on 6 March, completing a constellation designed to provide high resolution geo-information intelligence to the French Armed Forces.
The launch was carried out by Arianespace on Ariane 6’s first commercial flight from the European Spaceport in Kourou in the South American country.
The CSO-3 satellite, identical to CSO-1 and CSO-2, will complement the reconnaissance operations of CSO-1 with amplified coverage and revisit capability over large zones at an altitude of 800km. Flying at a lower altitude, CSO-2’s focus is on identification, delivering much higher resolution image quality and precision analytics.
Related Articles
Franco-Belgian satellite programme makes progress
Airbus states that the “CSO satellites are equipped with an agile pointing system for effective image acquisition and are controlled via a secure ground control operations centre.
“The fleet offers three-dimensional and high-resolution imaging capability, in visible and infrared bandwidths, enabling acquisition during night and day and maximising operational use.”
As prime contractor, Airbus has provided the platform and avionics, and was also responsible for integration, testing and final delivery of the satellite to the French Space Agency. Thales Alenia Space provided Airbus with the high-resolution optical payload.
It forms part of the MUSIS (Multinational Space-based Imaging System for surveillance, reconnaissance and observation) programme to replace older systems which began in 2010 as a French effort. Since then, Germany and Sweden joined in 2015, followed by Belgium (2017), Italy (2019), Spain (2021), Switzerland (2023), Poland (2024) and Greece (2024).
MUSIS includes the three satellites, mission ground segments and a user ground segment allowing access to the German SARah (Satellite-based Radar Reconnaissance System) constellation. It also provides for a common interoperability layer allowing access to Italian Cosmo Sky-Med Second Generation satellites.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![DSEI 2025: MARSS unveils new agnostic multidomain C4 system]()
DSEI 2025: MARSS unveils new agnostic multidomain C4 system
MARSS’ NiDAR system has been deployed using sensors from static platforms to provide detection and protection for static sights, such as critical infrastructure, ports and military bases.
-
![Australia looks towards space with force restructure, investment and training]()
Australia looks towards space with force restructure, investment and training
Australia is looking to improve its presence in space with a focus on communications and creating a dedicated segment of its defence forces committed to the domain.
-
![EID to unveil new vehicle communication system at DSEI]()
EID to unveil new vehicle communication system at DSEI
The Portuguese company’s naval communications system is in service across more than a dozen countries. It has turned to its home nation for support in developing a new vehicle based C2 system.
-
![Chess Dynamics successfully demonstrates Vision4ce AI-driven tracker]()
Chess Dynamics successfully demonstrates Vision4ce AI-driven tracker
The Vision4ce Deep Embedded Feature Tracking (DEFT) technology software is designed to process video and images by blending traditional computer vision with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to present actionable information from complex environments.
-
![Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend]()
Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend
Persistent Systems has been cleared by National Security Agency (NSA) to transmit sensitive data on commercial networks. The devices are added to the NSA’s Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) component list which also includes other companies’ products providing the same security.
-
![UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release]()
UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release
The release of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) has been long promised as mid-year. It is possible it could be as early as 2 June although the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to play its cards close to its chest.
