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France selects Loft Orbital and Thales Alenia Space for DESIR 'sovereign' SAR demonstrator

France has selected U.S. operator Loft Orbital to build its first 'sovereign' synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite and awarded Thales Alenia Space a CNES/DGA contract for the radar payload and user ground segment. The DESIR demonstrator is aimed at delivering independent radar imaging capability by 2029.

Discovered 2026-01-21T06:12:33.312882-08:00 | 2026-01-21T06:12:33.312882-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • CNES and the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) have awarded contracts (announced Jan. 21, 2026) to Loft Orbital and Thales Alenia Space to deliver the DESIR SAR demonstrator and its user ground segment, targeting a 2029 demonstration window.

  • The selection formalizes a sovereign–commercial hybrid procurement for national ISR, aligning with broader European moves to create independent defence space capabilities [source:ae7753fc-dc31-4e9f-ad80-04fb205f9e89].

  • The program reshapes industrial dynamics for European SAR production and onshore smallsat manufacturing, creating potential competition and partnership links with recent SAR manufacturing initiatives [source:7b41006f-3e6f-47f5-8505-793a853674cd].

Reported By

asdnews.com orbitaltoday.com SpaceWatch Global airforce-technology.com aeromorning.com militarnyi.com
Sources Tracked
21
First Seen
2026-01-21T06:12:33.312882-08:00
Latest Update
2026-01-26T01:01:22.463108-08:00
Coverage
Space

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