CGI to deliver core ground segment for ESA’s TRUTHS satellite mission

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CGI is delivering this work in partnership with Telespazio UK Ltd, which will lead the overall Ground Segment and Flight Operations System (FOS) and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the originator of the TRUTHS concept, which will provide scientific support.

TRUTHS – Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial and Helio Studies – is the first mission of its kind to directly measure solar and Earth-reflected radiation accurately. The data it generates will serve as a ‘gold standard’ reference for cross-calibrating other Earth Observation satellites, enabling climate change to be tracked more precisely from space.

As part of the consortium, CGI will be responsible for delivering the PDGS, which processes and archives vast volumes of scientific data – potentially more than 16 petabytes over the mission’s lifetime. The PDGS will generate high-quality, SI-traceable data products and make them accessible through an online catalogue, supporting both the scientific community and downstream applications.

Jaime Reed, Vice-President, Space Data Platforms & Applications at CGI in the UK and Australia said: “Ensuring traceability to the International System of Units (SI) at such scale is a unique challenge. We are drawing on CGI’s deep expertise in scientific systems and big data optimisation to make this vision a reality. Our work on TRUTHS supports CGI’s ongoing commitment to advancing science and technology in support of climate resilience.”

Ally Barker, Head of Sales Operations and Head of Institutional Business Growth for Telespazio UK said: “Telespazio UK are proud to prime the TRUTHS Ground Segment. This is a major European mission that is of importance to the whole EO sector as it brings benefits of cross-calibration to improve reliability in all EO satellite’s data. We look forward to working with our partners and onboarding new members to the team through Best Practice Procurement starting in 2026.”

Selected through ESA’s Earth Watch Programme, TRUTHS has been in development since its inception at NPL in the early 2000s. The mission is supported by the UK, Czech Republic, Greece, Romania, Spain and Switzerland, with broader participation anticipated at CMin25. The Ground Segment contract covers all remaining phases – B2, C/D and E1 – through to operational readiness.