Airbus Secures Initial Contract for ESA's Aeolus-2 Wind Satellite

Airbus Defence and Space has signed a preliminary agreement with the European Space Agency to design and build the Aeolus-2 satellite, a successor mission for global wind profiling from orbit.

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Airbus Defence and Space has entered into a preliminary agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop the Aeolus-2 satellite, which will measure wind speeds across the globe using laser technology. The contract covers the initial design and construction phase of the spacecraft, marking the first formal step in a mission intended to extend Europe's space-based wind observation capabilities.

The Aeolus-2 satellite will succeed the original Aeolus mission, launched in 2018, which demonstrated that Doppler wind lidar could effectively gauge wind velocities from space. Lessons learned from that pioneering effort are expected to shape the design of the new satellite, with the goal of enhancing data accuracy and operational robustness.

Under the agreement, Airbus will be responsible for the satellite platform and the integration of the scientific instruments. Financial terms of the initial contract have not been disclosed, and the overall mission budget will be determined in later development stages.

ESA is overseeing the project, which aims to deliver continuous wind data that are critical for improving weather forecasts and advancing climate research. A specific launch date has not been announced, but Aeolus-2 is expected to reach orbit in the coming years.