ESA Signs Contract With Telespazio UK to Deliver the Ground Segment for the Earth Watch TRUTHS Mission

Telespazio UK is delighted to announce it has been contracted by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the Ground Segment Prime for the Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio-Studies (TRUTHS) Earth Watch Mission, responsible for the delivery of the TRUTHS ground segment from Phase B2 to E1.

Telespazio UK, a subsidiary of Telespazio (a 67/33 joint venture between Leonardo and Thales) has been awarded the Ground Segment contract for ESA’s TRUTHS mission, as the prime contractor. This significant milestone builds on a long-standing and successful collaboration with CGI and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and enables the development of a core national capability with broader applications beyond the TRUTHS mission itself.

This contract covers all activities to design, develop, deliver, verify, validate and commission the TRUTHS Ground Segment. This includes all components of the ground segment – Flight Operations Segment (FOS), Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) and associated Ground Station links to the spacecraft – as well as operations preparation and commissioning operations through the end of Phase E1.

Simonetta Cheli, ESA Director of Earth Observation (EO) programmes, said: “With TRUTHS, ESA is advancing metrology-grade accuracy in Earth observation – setting a new international benchmark for climate monitoring and satellite calibration. The signature of this ground segment contract with Telespazio UK marks a key milestone, enabling us to realise the full potential of TRUTHS: from cutting-edge science to operational excellence, all in support of climate action and long-term data reliability.”

Telespazio UK Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Macken, said: “We are so proud to be leading the delivery of the space ground segment to manage, operate and receive data from the TRUTHS mission. This contract will boost national ground segment capabilities that will be important not only to this climate mission but also future ESA and national missions. It is an exciting step for the whole Telespazio team in the UK.”

Telespazio UK will continue to expand its consortium of partners through a series of best practice procurements that will begin in 2026.

“We are delighted to see continued investment in ESA’s Earth Watch Programme,” added Macken. “The ground segment contract represents the next step in a long-term programme that began with Phase A in 2020. TRUTHS is a flagship mission that will deliver a ‘standards laboratory in space’ – setting the ‘gold standard’ reference for climate measurements whilst also adding value to satellite data made available to customers and end-users. This contract not only advances the TRUTHS mission but also reinforces the UK’s leadership in delivering innovative EO capabilities that serve global scientific, environmental and commercial objectives.”

TRUTHS will be the first EO satellite to measure direct solar and Earth-reflected radiation with significantly improved accuracy, enabling enhanced interoperability and SI-traceability. This capability allows for cross-calibration of other EO satellites, significantly improving the quality and consistency of satellite-derived data products.

Smaller EO missions, which often lack on-board calibration capabilities, will particularly benefit from TRUTHS data. By comparing their sensor outputs with TRUTHS reference data for corresponding geographical locations, calibration adjustments can be made to correct for sensor drift, increasing the accuracy and reliability of their data.

Harshbir Sangha, Director of Missions and Capabilities at the UK Space Agency, said: “This contract marks a major milestone for the UK’s growing Earth Observation sector and highlights our national strength in delivering ground segment capabilities for complex satellite missions. TRUTHS will set a new benchmark in climate monitoring, and it’s fantastic to see UK organisations like Telespazio UK, CGI and NPL playing such a central role in its delivery. This is a great example of how UK expertise is helping shape global efforts to tackle climate change through innovation in space.”

TRUTHS will also support wider European initiatives such as the Digital Twin Earth Programme. By integrating TRUTHS data, these initiatives will benefit from improved quality and accuracy of Earth Observation datasets and satellite-derived services, enabling better decision-making in climate monitoring, environmental management and other EO initiatives.

Jaime Reed, Vice-President, Space Data Platforms & Applications at CGI in the UK and Australia, said: “CGI is proud to support Telespazio and ESA by leading the development of the Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) element of the ground segment. This transformative mission will grow the UK’s Space capability and builds on over a decade of supporting ESA’s PDGS.”