Loft today announced a notification by the French Space Agency (CNES) and the Directorate General of Armaments / DGA of a contract for the development and operation of the DESIR program (Sovereign Radar Imaging Elements Demonstration). The program aims to provide France with its first sovereign space-based radar imaging (SAR) capability and represents a major milestone in the development of a national radar imaging value chain, a critical technology for the armed forces and for France’s strategic autonomy.
“We are very pleased to lead this program alongside Thales Alenia Space and TEKEVER France. With DESIR, Loft Orbital proves that its standardized infrastructure model offers an immediate response to the most critical sovereign needs. This contract marks a turning point: by leading this consortium, we demonstrate the maturity of new space companies ability to assuming the responsibilities of prime contractor for complex government projects, and the ability to have technology startups and large defense contractors working hand in hand on hardware development and satellite operations for sovereign systems” – Pierre-Damien Vaujour, Loft CEO and Co-founder.
With the ability to collect data day or night and in all weather conditions, SAR imaging is a key tool to enable consistent monitoring for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. It also supports essential dual-use applications, including disaster management, maritime surveillance, and environmental monitoring.
A prime industrial contractor for building critical sovereign capabilities
A long-standing technological partner of the DGA, Loft is now entrusted as prime contractor for this sovereign space imaging capability, leading a consortium that includes Thales Alenia Space and TEKEVER France, structured around Loft’s repeatable industrial space infrastructure model. The radar payload will be co-designed by Thales Alenia Space and TEKEVER France, ensuring that mastery of critical technologies and intellectual property remains fully under French control.
This contract is aligned with DGA and French Space Command initiatives to foster a more agile defense space ecosystem, notably through the Pacte Espace and the Cercle de Confiance Espace, and confirms Loft’s position as a strategic partner serving national sovereign capabilities.
“This is exactly the type of program where speed, execution, discipline, and operational maturity matter,” said Loft’s European GM Emmanuelle Meric. “This is a perfect example of how you can combine the new ‘space-agile’ way of working, with the more traditional way of working.” – Loft Europe General Manager Emmanuelle Meric.
A mature industrial model serving the defense industrial and technological base
The DESIR program architecture relies on Loft’s end-to-end mission services and rapid integration capabilities. The demonstration will fly on Loft’s Longbow satellite platform, derived from the OneWeb constellation, which has more than 600 satellites already deployed in orbit. This simple, and reliable space infrastructure model developed by Loft guarantees program feasibility, cost control and schedule reliability, allowing the rapid deployment of sovereign-owned space capabilities to support government autonomy across Europe.
The program targets initial operational service by early 2029, with an in-orbit operational phase of at least two years, illustrating the relevance of a New Space–inspired approach to meeting sovereign defense capability requirements.
Supporting sovereign capacity building for space
This program demonstrates government trust in Loft’s ability to support technology demonstrations and sovereign capacity building. In 2025, Loft launched Orbitworks, a joint venture with Marlan Space, to build out domestic space capabilities from Abu Dhabi and demonstrate in-country technology exchange. The maturity of the European New Space ecosystem now enables companies like Loft to deliver end to end space services to support new and emerging European space programs.
