CANNES, France — Thales Alenia Space has been awarded a contract by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) to develop the IRIS military optical observation space system under a joint prime contractorship with Airbus Defence and Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) announced on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026.
The next-generation IRIS (Instruments de Renseignement et d’Imagerie Spatiale) program comprises two ultra-high-resolution satellites and an associated ground control and image-processing segment.
Succession from CSO and MUSIS Constellation Architecture
The IRIS system will progressively replace France’s three Optical Space Component (Composante Spatiale Optique or CSO) satellites operating within the multinational MUSIS military observation program. Following operational deployments of the Airbus-built CSO-1 satellite in 2018, CSO-2 in 2020, and the CSO-3 satellite launched for the French military in 2025, the new procurement guarantees continuity for France’s space-based Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) operations.
Under the industrial division, the first IRIS satellite will succeed CSO-1 and CSO-2 to maintain continuous intelligence collection, while the second satellite will introduce advanced imaging performance following the retirement of CSO-3.
Payload Instrumentation and Active Optics Specifications
Thales Alenia Space will develop the primary optical imaging instruments for both satellites, supported by an industrial consortium including LYNRED, PYXALIS, SODERN, REOSC, ALAT, and Thales SESO:
- Optical Suite: Integrates a hyper-stable telescope integrating next-generation active optics paired with ultra-sensitive digital focal plane sensors.
- Thermal and Day/Night Imaging: Incorporates high-speed infrared channels enabling imagery acquisition under low-light and nighttime conditions.
- Processing and Security: Features onboard artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for real-time image filtering and secure, high-throughput downlinks to protect strategic confidentiality.
Sovereign Surveillance and Operational Horizon
“Thales Alenia Space teams will rely on their world-renowned expertise gained through landmark surveillance programs such as Hélios, Pléiades and CSO, to develop the most advanced optical instrument ever built in Europe,” said Hervé Derrey, Chief Executive Officer of Thales Alenia Space.
Satellite manufacturing, payload integration, and environmental testing will take place across French industrial facilities, with flight operations and in-orbit service support scheduled to extend through the late 2030s.
