As part of the ARES (Action and Space Resilience) program, Thales has received a contract from the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) to develop, deliver, and deploy a new ground-based low-orbit space surveillance radar system named AURORE. This advanced radar will monitor satellites and orbital debris from Earth, providing continuous observation and simultaneous tracking of multiple space objects. Once operational, AURORE will become the largest space surveillance radar in Europe, significantly enhancing France’s ability to assess and maintain situational awareness in space.
In light of the growing militarization of space, this development marks a major step forward for both French and European sovereignty, offering unmatched detection capabilities to support military space surveillance missions in low orbit. Designed and manufactured at Thales’ Limours facility, the system also draws on the technical expertise and innovation of several French SMEs, reflecting a strong national industrial partnership.
As space operations are challenged by a substantial increase in threats, from military to space debris, the ability to identify and track multiple small objects in space in real-time makes all the difference when it comes to space sovereignty and protecting the skies.
AURORE is a software-defined radar operating in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band, that will provide continuous surveillance and simultaneous multi-tracking of numerous space objects with a fast low Earth orbit responsiveness time, and the generation of a high-resolution picture of the space environment in real-time.
The modularity of its architecture will form the backbone of a comprehensive roadmap aimed at expanding the product portfolio with a new family of UHF radars capable of meeting the needs of multiple critical missions, enabling protection against emerging ballistic and hypersonic threats.
"With AURORE, the only radar of its kind in Europe, Thales is contributing to French sovereignty by strengthening its capabilities for monitoring the space environment at low orbits. AURORE demonstrates, once again, Thales' leadership in the field of air and space surveillance systems.” said Patrice Caine, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Thales.
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