#Leonardo is sponsoring and taking part in the third
@esa Earth Observation Commercialisation Forum (ESA CommEO), taking place in Seville, Spain, from 12 to 14 May. The event is bringing together the global
#EarthObservation (EO) ecosystem for three days of insight, innovation, and high-level networking. Marco Brancati, SVP Technology, Innovation and Systems Architecture of
#LeonardoSpace, participated in the “Commercialisation in Dual Use” panel, focused on how commercial EO solutions can effectively address civil security and defence user needs.
While defence requirements are typically very specific, operators are increasingly used to integrating data from systems that was not developed for defence purposes. It is crucial to fulfil the right requirements, in order to allow operators to use the data correctly. For instance, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) solutions and constellations based on standard security requirements can leverage the data, even if not originally designed for defence tasks. As a clear example, Brancati illustrated Leonardo’s new proprietary constellation project under development, providing evidence of end-to-end solutions, from user service definition to exploitation.
The constellation will feature top class technologies and reduce the latency and quick-tasking / rapid response time goals, a key priority for EO. The constellation will consist of 18 to 20 satellites on two different orbital planes, including either SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) or optical VHR (Very High Resolution ) payload, optical inter-satellite link, on-board
#HighPerformanceComputer, performing some of the processing typically carried out on ground, relying on
#ArtificialIntelligence algorithms, among others. It will include leading edge technologies embedded into a totally new system. The first launch window is expected in late 2027, with the second to follow by end of 2028 and full operational readiness in 2029. Moreover, Marco Brancati highlighted that another important element is the multi-mission ground segment, underlining that commercial players who want to also provide data solutions for defence and dual-use purposes, should leverage ground federation with other systems that were not originally designed for interoperability.