UK-headquartered satellite manufacturer Open Cosmos has been selected over Deimos by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) to build the Spanish component of the Atlantic Constellation.
The Constelación Atlántica (Atlantic Constellation) is a joint initiative between Spain and Portugal to build a 16-satellite Earth observation constellation for coastal surveillance, environmental management, and climate monitoring. Each country has committed €40 million to the project. The United Kingdom has also pledged £3 million to support the development of an additional satellite.
In early April 2024, ESA and AEE awarded a pair of contracts to consortia led by Deimos and Open Cosmos Europe, the Barcelona-based subsidiary of Open Cosmos, for the consolidation phase of the project. At the time, AEE stated that at the conclusion of this phase, one consortium would be selected for the implementation phase of the project.
On 16 October, Open Cosmos announced that it had been selected over Deimos for the implementation phase of Spain’s contribution to the constellation. The announcement, however, did not include any details about the value of the contract.
According to the company, the eight satellites that will make up Spain’s contribution to the constellation are expected to be delivered by 2027. Each satellite will carry a high-resolution multispectral optical camera, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) reflectometry sensor, an AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver, and IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity. The satellites will be built by a consortium led by Open Cosmos Europe that includes TSatAtlantis, the Institute of Space Sciences, Alén Space, and FOSSA Systems.
In addition to leading the Spanish component of the constellation, Open Cosmos has also been selected by the UK Space Agency to build a pathfinder satellite that will form the United Kingdom’s contribution. The company also received a €60 million contract from the Greek government in June 2024 to build a seven-satellite Earth observation constellation.
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