Madrid, 21th May 2024 – The consortium led by Deimos has successfully secured one of the two parallel contracts awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the definition of the Spanish Component of the Atlantic Constellation. The core team of the consortium, comprised solely of Spanish entities, includes Alén Space, Satlantis and DHV Technology.
The Atlantic Constellation is one of the main actions of the Aerospace element of the Spanish Resilience and Recovery Plan (PERTE Aeroespacial) and will consist of 16 satellites equipped with Earth observation and telecommunications payloads, 8 of which will be developed in Spain. This constellation will be developed in collaboration with Portugal.
The contract for the Consolidation Phase of the Atlantic Constellation was signed in early April between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the consortium. This initial phase of the project spanning three months, has the primary objective to consolidate the mission requirements of the constellation in Spain and it will be performed in a close collaboration with ESA, the contract supervisor, and the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), the end customer.
Deimos assumes the role of mission prime, overseeing the definition of the entire system, including the flight and ground segments. Alén Space will handle the definition of the communications subsystem, the command and data handling subsystem and the RF payloads. Satlantis will provide and manage the optical payloads, securing high quality Earth Observation data for the Spanish ecosystem, based on the experience as Copernicus Contributing Mission in the EU Copernicus program. DHV Technology will be responsible for full Electrical Power System of the constellation including solar arrays and the electronic system.
Following the Consolidation Phase, one consortium will be selected for the Implementation phase of the eight satellites that constitute Spain’s contribution to the Constellation.
The Deimos-led consortium members are Spanish entities headquartered in Spain, and all project work, as well as the supply chain, will be located and conducted within the country. This demonstrates the commitment of the consortium to enhancing and empowering the Spanish space industry.
Simone Centuori, CEO of Deimos, says “Following the award of Horizon Europe IOD/IOV satellites and DRACO, Deimos has consolidated its role as prime contractor of highly demanding small missions. The Atlantic Constellation definition is a decisive step forward in this direction, combining the moderate cost of small satellites with a solid engineering approach to ensure the optimal operation of a diverse payload suite”.
The Spanish Component of the Atlantic Constellation is a Programme funded by the Government of Spain through Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Aerospace PERTE, and AEE.
AEE, an entity of Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, holds the overall programmatic and financial responsibility.
The view expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency or AEE.