On Thursday, 17 September 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) selected the ARISE (Architecture for Resilient and Federated ISR in Sovereign Europe) consortium, led by Polish-Finnish company ICEYE, a European leader in satellite-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, to conduct an architecture study for the EU Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS). The study, carried out under the European Resilience from Space (ERS) initiative, will define the target concept for a sovereign satellite-based reconnaissance system for European users in the civil security and defense sectors.
Image: ICEYE
Access to sovereign space-based reconnaissance capabilities has become a prerequisite for European strategic autonomy. The study, scheduled to run for 12+8 months, is funded by and carried out on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). It will define a comprehensive architecture for the entire system, covering the space segment, ground segment, user segment, concept of operations, security model, and governance model.
The importance of EOGS extends beyond the scope of a single program. The architectural solutions developed as part of the study will help shape the future direction of sovereign European Earth observation capabilities over the coming decade and beyond. As the European Union strengthens its security, resilience, and strategic autonomy, EOGS offers an opportunity to integrate national, institutional, and commercial capabilities within a common operational framework.
ICEYE leads a consortium spanning the entire European industrial value chain, with Indra Space, Rheinmetall, and HISDESAT forming its core, complemented by Starion, T-Systems, SafranAI, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions (RISS), Creotech Instruments, and CTI Aeroespacial. FSO Instruments, OroraTech, and Unseenlabs are providing specialized advisory support. The partners combine operationally proven systems with institutional and national capabilities in defense, security, Earth observation, including classified information, civil-military applications, sovereign cloud and data infrastructure, system accreditation, intelligence analytics, and the development of space missions and upstream capabilities.
„Europe cannot defend what it cannot see,” said Rafał Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE. „The study awarded today will help fundamentally define Europe’s future architecture for resilience and security – the first step toward a federated system of interoperable sovereign space capabilities delivering European-scale security and situational awareness. We are proud to work closely with European institutions to help build an environment in which Europe’s technology companies can scale in Europe, become global champions, and ensure that critical sovereign capabilities remain firmly in European hands.”
„Europe’s future Earth Observation capability has to be built on trusted institutional expertise and strong industrial collaboration. This contract advances a more sovereign and resilient European capability, fully aligned with Indra’s strategy to develop integrated space systems that strengthen Europe’s autonomy, security and resilience,” said Miguel Ángel Panduro, CEO of Indra Space.
„Future defence capabilities will increasingly depend on the seamless integration of space, land, air, sea and digital domains. Consortia like ARISE are an important step towards strengthening Europe’s resilience across this connected battlespace,” said Timo Haas, CEO Rheinmetall-Division Digital Systems.
„Hisdesat, as dual‑use operator with 25-year track record in secure satellite operations, brings agility, robust data resilience, and proven security protocols to the ARISE consortium, ensuring that the EOGS architecture study delivers both rapid responsiveness and enduring, interoperable solutions for Earth observation,” said Ana María Molina Sánchez, Chief Executive Officer, HISDESAT S.A.
ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, said:
„This is an important step in paving the way towards a sovereign European Earth observation capability supporting security and resilience. We are pleased that ICEYE and the ARISE consortium are now poised to contribute to the blueprint to help shape Europe’s Earth observation capabilities for the next decade and beyond, bringing together national, institutional and commercial assets within a shared operational framework aimed to strengthen Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy.”
The results of the study will serve as the basis for the implementation of EOGS under the European Union’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034.
European Space Agency @ESA has selected the ARISE consortium (Architecture for Resilient and Federated ISR in Sovereign Europe), led by ICEYE, to conduct an architecture design study for the EU Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS).
Read more: https://t.co/g2BixyjnQN pic.twitter.com/5SfK6AyB9R
— ICEYE (@iceye_global) September 17, 2026
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