• Airbus to Launch First Pléiades Neo Next Satellite in Early 2028
TOULOUSE, France – Airbus announced on January 27, 2026, that it will launch its first Pléiades Neo Next satellite in early 2028 from the European Spaceport in French Guiana.
What is new?
Airbus has scheduled the first launch of its Pléiades Neo Next satellite for early 2028 aboard an Avio Vega C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. The new programme is intended to reinforce the company’s Earth Observation capabilities and services with new satellite assets and capabilities.
Enhanced Capabilities
The Pléiades Neo Next programme will introduce a 20-cm-class native resolution for its imagery. When combined with the existing Pléiades Neo constellation, the new satellites will provide a higher revisit frequency anywhere on Earth, up to several times per day. Airbus is also improving the ground segment, customer Direct Receiving Stations (DRS), and the OneAtlas digital platform. These enhancements aim to increase the capacity for imagery requests and shorten the time between request, capture, and reception of data.
Programme Context
According to the company, the programme builds on the existing Pléiades Neo constellation, which serves government and commercial customers. The Pléiades Neo Next initiative is funded, manufactured, and operated by Airbus Defence and Space. It is designed for a wide range of sectors, including defence, intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, and mapping. Users will continue to have the ability to directly task the satellites and receive images swiftly through their own ground stations or the OneAtlas digital platform.
About this company
Airbus is a European aerospace and defense manufacturer that produces commercial aircraft, helicopters, satellites, and defense systems. The Pléiades Neo Next programme is managed by its Airbus Defence and Space division. The company’s satellite fleet includes both optical and radar constellations to provide a range of services with various resolutions and all-weather, day-and-night capabilities. Airbus is also developing new observation technologies based on stratospheric platforms.
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