SAURON, the European project to strengthen space surveillance and defense, successfully concludes

The SAURON project (Sensors for Advanced Usage & Reconnaissance of Outerspace situatioN), funded by the European Commission under the European Defense Industrial Development Program (EDIDP), has successfully concluded after achieving its technological objectives. This initiative was one of three projects selected under EDIDP—alongside INTEGRAL and ODIN’S EYE—to enhance Europe’s capabilities in space surveillance, situational awareness, and ballistic threat detection, with a combined investment of over 22 million euros.

Developed by a consortium of 24 organizations from nine European countries, SAURON enabled progress in the development of advanced ground- and space-based sensors for the identification and characterization of objects across all orbital regimes. Several sensors were designed, prototyped, and validated within a common architecture to demonstrate the benefits of data fusion.

GMV contributed to the project by developing passive radiofrequency (RF) sensors and software solutions focused on intelligent data fusion. These capabilities are essential for enhancing Space Situational Awareness (SSA), which plays a critical role in preventing collisions, managing space traffic, and detecting potential threats, including missile launches.

The experience gained through SAURON will be key to the development of the EMISSARY project, awarded in 2024 by the European Commission to a consortium of nearly 50 companies, including GMV. EMISSARY falls under the European Defense Fund (EDF) and aims to develop a European military space surveillance system, with a budget exceeding 157 million euros.

Through its participation in these projects, GMV strengthens its commitment to Europe’s security and technological sovereignty in the strategic domain of space defense. At the same time, it consolidates its growth in the defense and security sector, positioning itself as a key player in the development of critical capabilities for the European Union. To date, GMV has participated in 42 projects under EDIDP and EDF, five of them as leader.