France Orders Thales Aurore Radar to Strengthen European Space Surveillance

In a significant move to bolster European space situational awareness (SSA), France has commissioned Thales to develop and deliver the Aurore radar system. Designed to detect and track objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Aurore will replace the aging GRAVES system by 2030 and serve as a cornerstone of France’s national and European Union space surveillance capabilities.

Strategic Imperative Behind the Aurore Program

The proliferation of satellites—both commercial and military—in LEO has dramatically increased the risk of orbital congestion and potential collisions. This is compounded by growing concerns over anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) and dual-use spacecraft deployed by state actors. In response, France’s Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) has initiated the Aurore program as part of its broader strategy to maintain strategic autonomy in space domain awareness.

Aurore is intended not only as a national capability but also as a contribution to the European Union’s Space Situational Awareness (EU SST) framework. The radar will provide persistent surveillance coverage over LEO orbits—typically altitudes up to 2,000 km—and support both military operations and civil applications such as collision avoidance for satellites.

Technical Overview of the Aurore Radar

While detailed specifications remain classified due to operational security concerns, available information indicates that Aurore will be a bistatic radar system operating in UHF or VHF bands—similar in principle to its predecessor GRAVES but with significantly enhanced detection capability. The system will be capable of detecting objects as small as 10 cm in diameter at ranges exceeding 1,000 km.

Key expected improvements over GRAVES include:

• Wider field-of-view enabling continuous sky coverage
• Higher refresh rates for more frequent orbital updates
• Improved object classification algorithms using AI/ML techniques
• Greater integration with NATO C4ISR frameworks via standardized data formats

The radar is expected to operate autonomously with minimal operator intervention while feeding real-time data into both French Air & Space Force command centers and EU SST networks.

Program Timeline and Industrial Partners

The contract was awarded in October 2025 following competitive evaluations led by DGA in collaboration with CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) and ONERA (Office National d’Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales). Delivery of an initial operational capability is targeted for late 2029, with full operational capability expected by mid-2030.

Thales will act as prime contractor for the program. The company brings extensive experience from projects such as Ground Master air defense radars and satellite payloads. Subcontractors are likely to include:

• ONERA: Providing scientific expertise on orbital mechanics and signal processing
• SEREME or Nexeya: Possible candidates for ground infrastructure development
• AIRBUS Defence & Space: Potential integration partner for SSA data fusion systems

Aurore vs GRAVES: Generational Leap in Capability

The existing French SSA capability is centered around the GRAVES radar (Grand Réseau Adapté à la VEille Spatiale), which became operational in 2005. GRAVES was among Europe’s first dedicated LEO tracking radars but suffers from limited resolution (~1 m object size threshold) and constrained coverage windows due to its monostatic design.

Aurore represents a generational leap forward:

• Sensitivity: Detection threshold improved from ~1 m down to ~10 cm class debris/satellites
• Cueing & Refresh Rate: From hours/days under GRAVES to near real-time under Aurore
• C4ISR Integration: Native compatibility with NATO Link-16/STANAG protocols anticipated
• Dwell Time & Coverage: Expanded azimuth/elevation tracking envelope across wider swaths of sky

Tactical Implications for Military Operations

The deployment of Aurore will have direct implications for French military operations across multiple domains:

• SATCOM Resilience: Enhanced ability to detect adversarial co-orbital threats targeting French or allied communications satellites.
• MDA & Missile Warning Support: Improved correlation between missile launch signatures detected via other sensors (e.g., IRSTs or Over-the-Horizon radars) with satellite-based ISR assets.
• NATO Interoperability: Enables France to contribute high-fidelity orbital tracks into NATO’s shared SSA picture under initiatives like Federated Mission Networking (FMN).

A European Pillar for SSA Sovereignty

The timing of this investment aligns with broader EU goals under programs like EUSST (European Space Surveillance & Tracking), which seeks autonomy from US-dominated systems such as NORAD’s SPACETRACK catalog. While cooperation remains essential—especially regarding deep-space tracking—the EU aims for sovereign capacity within LEO monitoring by early next decade.

Aurore may also serve dual-use civil-military functions including support for ESA missions, satellite deorbit planning, insurance risk modeling, and academic research on orbital debris dynamics. Its data could be shared selectively with trusted partners under bilateral agreements or through ESA’s SSA program.

The Road Ahead: Challenges & Opportunities

The success of the Aurore program hinges on several critical factors:

• Spectrum Allocation: Ensuring long-term access to protected frequency bands amid growing civilian RF congestion.
• Siting & Infrastructure Security: Selecting geographically optimal locations while hardening against sabotage or cyber threats.
• Talent Pipeline: Recruiting specialized engineers in RF physics, orbital mechanics, AI-driven signal processing—fields where demand outpaces supply across Europe.

If executed successfully, France’s investment in Aurore could establish it not only as a leader within EU SST efforts but also position it strategically within global SSA dialogues alongside actors like NORAD/NORTHCOM or Japan’s JAXA-led initiatives.

The coming years will test Europe’s resolve in building sovereign capabilities across all warfighting domains—including space—and systems like Aurore are central pillars toward that end.