ArianeGroup signs cooperation agreement with IHI Aerospace and expands the Helix space surveillance coverage with a 16th observation station
- Satellite Evolution Group
- 33 minutes ago
- 1 min read
ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace have signed a cooperation agreement for the deployment and operation of an optical space surveillance station in Japan. This joint station becomes the 16th station in ArianeGroup's Helix network and incorporates its 45th, 46th and 47th sensors.
Leveraging its expertise in civil and defence space launchers and launch services, ArianeGroup developed Helix, Europe's leading private space surveillance network, in 2017.
This new station enhances the space surveillance capabilities of ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace across medium Earth orbit (MEO), geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) and highly elliptical orbit (HEO). It also provides round-the-clock tracking of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO), using both operational and experimental equipment. The agreement will strengthen France and Japan's autonomy and sovereignty in space situational awareness (SSA).
This cooperation between ArianeGroup and IHI Aerospace builds on a relationship first established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2017 to collaborate in space situational awareness. In 2025, the two partners deployed a joint optical space surveillance station in Japan. The signing of this cooperation agreement in April 2026 marks a new milestone in their partnership, formalising their collaboration around this joint station. It will lead to increased data for ArianeGroup's catalogue and access to additional data for IHI Aerospace.
The Helix system, developed and operated by ArianeGroup, comprises more than 47 sensors across 16 space surveillance stations and includes a centralised Command and Control Centre featuring the latest innovations in optical technology, automation and AI-powered data processing.
Helix detects, tracks and characterises space objects. Thanks to round-the-clock surveillance, it delivers high-precision positional and orbital data on objects in low, medium and geosynchronous Earth orbits.