Two projects awarded in the latest call for the development of payloads for Earth observation satellites
ASENSE NOVA, S.L. and Microwave Sensors and Electronics S.L. join the ESA Phi-Lab Spain portfolio to develop advanced radar and thermal payloads for small satellites
Barcelona, 31 July 2026
ASENSE NOVA, S.L. and Microwave Sensors and Electronics S.L. are the companies selected in the latest call for the development of payloads for Earth observation satellites, which aims to strengthen the Catalan space technology ecosystem, fostering innovation and competitiveness in the development of payloads for small satellites (SmallSats), as well as facilitating their future commercialisation.
This call is promoted by the Government of Catalonia and coordinated by the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), within the framework of the Catalonia Space 2030 Strategy.
The call is framed within the ESA Phi-Lab Spain programme, promoted by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the support of the Spanish Space Agency and the Government of Catalonia. ESA Phi-Lab Spain is coordinated by the IEEC, as the leader of a consortium of 12 universities, research and innovation centres, and companies, with the aim of promoting new research, innovation and business opportunities around space technologies and their applications to support climate resilience.
Here are the winning proposals:
OTTER project
The awarded company ASENSE will develop OTTER (‘Observació Tèrmica Terrestre – Espacial Remota’ / Remote Earth-Space Thermal Observation), a multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) observation system with passive athermalisation, integrating optics, structure and detectors into a compact solution designed to operate on board small satellites. It will have applications in agriculture (soil thermal analysis and crop water use optimisation); forestry management (firefront monitoring and regeneration tracking); industry (thermal signature identification); urban infrastructure (heat island detection); and the maritime sector (tracking conditions favourable to harmful algal blooms).
LaX’n’SAR project
Meanwhile, Microwave Sensors and Electronics S.L. has been awarded the LaX’n’SAR project (L and X-band SAR for Earth observation). LaX’n’SAR will develop a system consisting of a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, which includes front-end electronics with dual-band X and L transmitters and receivers, as well as the control unit. The project will enable simultaneous measurements of the same area at different frequencies, providing benefits in monitoring changes in forest biomass or adverse weather events, such as floods or landslides, regardless of meteorological conditions and time of day.
Access to the contracting profile:
https://contractaciopublica.cat/en/detall-publicacio/9a665fbd-e7e9-4387-b066-be684ccb1db5/300825811
About ESA Phi-Lab Spain
ESA Phi-Lab Spain is a programme of the European Space Agency (ESA), supported by the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) and the Generalitat de Catalunya. The programme is part of ESA’s ScaleUp Programme, with a focus on promoting innovation and the commercialisation of space technologies to enhance climate resilience.
The programme is coordinated by the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), which leads a consortium of twelve universities, research and innovation centres, and companies. These include the i2CAT Foundation, the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC), the Fundación General CSIC, the KIMbcn Foundation, Arribes Enlightenment, the University of Valencia (UVEG), the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), the Ricardo Valle Institute of Innovation Foundation (INNOVA IRV), the ESA MELiSSA Pilot Plant of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
