Photo: Via Satellite/Freepik.com/Wavebreak Media

The European Space Agency (ESA) awarded Spire Global a contract to design an aircraft surveillance system. It is a 16 million euro phased contract for a project called EURIALO, which is mainly funded by the German Space Agency, DLR. 

Spire will design a satellite constellation in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) that would track aircraft by determining their exact position based on different times of arrivals of radio frequency (RF) signals. Under this contract, Spire would also launch a demonstration mission, and there is a potential opportunity to be selected to build out the full constellation. 

ESA said that current surveillance systems use aircraft self-reported positions from GNSS satellites, and an additional solution will increase reliability and resiliency. 

Spire has a newly established German subsidiary and will be opening an office in Munich. The company will lead a consortium of major industry players for the contract, including ESSP (European Satellite Services Provider), a communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) services provider.

“Space-based aircraft tracking and geolocation is the future of air traffic management to ensure safe, secure and sustainable air travel at a global scale,” said Spire CEO Peter Platzer. “We are honored to be selected by ESA to lead the development of this first-of-its-kind aviation surveillance system demonstrator.”