Loft Orbital has been selected as prime contractor for France’s first space-based radar imaging demonstrator.
The contract covers the development and operation of the DESIR (Démonstration d’Éléments Spatiaux d’Imagerie Radar Souveraine) program, which will lay the groundwork for a sovereign French synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite capability.
SAR satellites capture high-resolution imagery regardless of cloud cover or lighting conditions, making them vital for military intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Beyond defense, SAR data also supports disaster response, maritime monitoring, and environmental observation.
Building Sovereign Radar Imaging Capability
Under DESIR, Loft will lead an industrial consortium that includes Thales Alenia Space and TEKEVER France.
The two companies will jointly design the radar payload, with French authorities retaining control over key technologies and intellectual property.
The project is part of broader efforts by the defense procurement agency and the French Space Command to strengthen national and European autonomy in defense-related space systems.
Demonstrator and Timeline
Loft, which has previously worked with the French defense procurement agency as a technology partner, will handle overall system integration, satellite operations, and mission services.
The demonstrator satellite will be based on Loft’s Longbow platform, derived from the satellite bus used in the OneWeb broadband constellation which operates over 600 satellites in low Earth orbit.
DESIR is scheduled to reach initial operational service in early 2029 and is expected to operate for at least two years.
During that time, it will validate technical performance, operational concepts, and industrial processes relevant to a future operational SAR constellation.
