Press release
Atos wins six-year contract with CNES to provide engineering and space computing services
Paris, France – September 7, 2023 - Atos announces the renewal of a six-year framework agreement to provide engineering and space computing services to France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES). CNES has selected Atos to lead one of the five French and European consortia contributing to its various civil, scientific and military programs under the Ingénierie Bord et Informatique Spatiale (IBIS) framework agreement.
Atos has joined forces with Ausy, Clemessy (Eiffage Group), Epsyl (Alcen Group), Geo4i, OHB, Serco and Terma to form a consortium that meets CNES's objective to strengthen the role of digital technology in its innovation strategy while also covering all of its technical, functional and business areas. The members of the consortium, led by Atos, are experts in the space industry and are involved in major European programs in the sector.
Atos's expertise managing major projects, its ability to integrate technologies and its 20 years of collaboration with CNES, combined with the business know-how of its partners, will be applied to the industrial design and IT operation of the ground and onboard segments, as well as the communication resources between these two segments.
The ground segment manages the satellite, the orbit modifications and receives the observation data. The Atos-led consortium will provide expertise in the design, maintenance and operation of these systems. The onboard segment provides the satellite's onboard perimeter with instruments that transmit data to the ground. The consortium will be involved in the engineering and testing of both the onboard and ground systems.
Space expertise is provided from Toulouse, the European Space capital, by teams located at the Atos Technology Services center of excellence and its partners.
To leverage the complementary capabilities of the consortium, Atos has developed a collaborative innovation approach supported by its network of R&D centers and Inno'Labs in France, as well as by the innovation centers of its partners. The other members of the consortium will be able to rely on Atos's expertise to integrate digital technologies to optimize their business solutions.
For example, one of the innovation programs that the group is tasked with is to improve the data processing and transmission capacity of satellites. As the high-performance onboard satellite instrumentation generates a growing volume of data, the transmission of this data to the ground is becoming increasingly complex. The mission of Atos, an expert in artificial intelligence (AI), and its partners is to equip satellites with on-board AI technology to perform data processing farther upstream. This reduces the amount of data to be transmitted and maximizes the use of the limited bandwidth.
"New technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation are leading to innovations that are revolutionizing the industrial and digital models of the space industry. Together with Atos and its partners, CNES is taking full advantage of these advances, which are helping our ecosystem evolve, strengthening our sovereignty and competitiveness, and fostering the emergence of new services that will enable the space industry to assert France's and Europe's leadership," said François Sillion, Chief Technology and Digital Officer at CNES.
"Atos and its partners are very proud to contribute to the strategic missions of CNES in the civil and military domains. CNES can count on a group of European leaders whose diversity of expertise will provide it with a strong support to meet the needs of transformation and evolution of the space sector. For example, the introduction of AI as a digital transformation vector is a major challenge, and Atos's expertise in this field will enable CNES to open up a range of possibilities, with the challenge of preserving national and European sovereignty in the sensitive areas of application of this technology," said Stéphane Richard, Director of Technology Services, Atos.
CNES is a public institution responsible for shaping and implementing France’s space policy within Europe. The Agency designs satellites, placing them into orbit as well as inventing tomorrow’s space systems, as well as fostering the deployment of new and practical everyday services.
Founded in 1961, CNES spearheads large-scale space projects, launchers and satellites, acting as the go-to partner for the industry to propel innovation. Supported by a passionate team of 2,400 employees, CNES is helping develop innovative applications guided by four strategic ambitions: national sovereignty, science, economic performance and climate.
CNES is leading the way in France’s technological innovation, economic development and industrial policy. Finally, this agency strives to forge scientific partnerships, frequently collaborating at an international level. Thanks to CNES, France is one of the key contributors to the European Space Agency (ESA).
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About Atos
Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 107,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 69 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.
The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.
Press contact
Isabelle Grangé | isabelle.grange@atos.net | +33 (0) 6 64 56 74 88
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