The European Space Agency awards Thales Alenia Space the study of the SIRIUS mission to monitor Urban Heat Islands from space – Thales Alenia Space

SIRIUS Mission: Advancing Urban Sustainability through Space-Based Thermal Infrared Imaging

Introduction

On June 26, 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) awarded a contract to Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), to conduct the mission consolidation study of the SIRIUS mission (Space Based Infra-Red Imager for Urban Sustainability). This mission is part of ESA’s Scout missions under the Earth Observation FutureEO programme. The SIRIUS mission focuses on observing European cities using thermal infrared (TIR) data to measure surface temperatures remotely, aiming to better understand Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) and their impact on local climates.

Emphasizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The SIRIUS mission directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – by providing critical data to improve urban planning and resilience against climate-induced heat stress.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action – through monitoring and mitigating the effects of Urban Heat Islands exacerbated by climate change.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – by addressing health risks associated with elevated urban temperatures.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – via the development of innovative, cost-effective space technologies for environmental monitoring.

Fostering Urban Sustainability

With over half of the global population residing in urban areas—a figure projected to reach two-thirds by 2050—the challenges of urban resilience and environmental sustainability are increasingly urgent. Rapid urbanization often leads to the intensification of Urban Heat Islands, where city temperatures can exceed those of surrounding rural areas by up to 12°C, particularly at night.

• Urban Heat Islands result from heat accumulation on impermeable surfaces, reduced vegetation, and human activities.
• This phenomenon negatively impacts physical and psychological health, alters daily habits, and affects economic activities.
• It also contributes to increased morbidity and mortality rates and escalates energy consumption in cities.

Accurate, frequent, and sustained surface temperature data through heat maps is essential for understanding UHIs and guiding urban planning and climate policy decisions, aligning with SDG 11 and SDG 13.

Innovative Approach to Urban Heat Island Monitoring

ESA’s Scout missions are designed to be agile, cost-effective, and rapid in demonstrating new Earth observation concepts with a scientific focus. Each mission has a budget cap of €35 million, including launch costs, and must be developed within three years.

The SIRIUS mission will provide daily nighttime thermal observations of multiple European cities over at least three years, with a spatial resolution of 64 meters, ideal for UHI monitoring. The mission utilizes the Smart-TIRI instrument developed by Thales Alenia Space:

• A miniaturized thermal infrared imaging device based on innovative microbolometer technology.
• Eliminates the need for costly cooling systems, reducing mission costs and complexity.
• Proven performance through the MORERA project prototype.

Ismael López, CEO of Thales Alenia Space in Spain, stated: “We are very pleased to receive ESA’s support to carry out the consolidation study of the SIRIUS mission, based on our Smart-TIRI instrument, an innovative, compact, high-performance technology, with very competitive cost. This solution led by Thales Alenia Space in Spain is very well suited for different applications of great environmental and sustainability interest, such as monitoring Urban Heat Islands, a growing phenomenon with significant health, environmental, and socioeconomic implications.”

SIRIUS Industrial Consortium and Collaboration

Thales Alenia Space in Spain leads the SIRIUS mission as prime contractor and developer of the Smart-TIRI instrument. The consortium includes:

• University of Valencia (Spain): Scientific leadership under Professor José Antonio Sobrino, defining mission objectives and addressing key scientific questions.
• Kongsberg Nano Avionics (Lithuania): Provider of the small satellite platform based on the flight-proven Nano Avionics MP42H model and its Flight Operations Segment.
• Thales Alenia Space (France): Responsible for mission analysis, end-to-end simulator development, and image quality assurance.
• National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA, Spain): Tasked with defining the end-to-end performance simulator.

About Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space, with over 40 years of experience, combines diverse expertise to deliver cost-effective satellite solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental monitoring, exploration, and science. The company supports governments and private sectors in building sustainable infrastructures and monitoring planetary resources, contributing to SDG 9 and SDG 13.

As a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), and part of the Space Alliance with Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space reported consolidated revenues of €2.23 billion in 2024 and employs over 8,100 personnel across 15 sites in 7 European countries.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article focuses on urban sustainability and the challenges posed by Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) in cities, directly relating to making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The mission aims to understand and mitigate the effects of climate change on urban environments, particularly through monitoring temperature changes and UHIs.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article highlights the health impacts of UHIs, including increased morbidity and mortality, linking the mission to improving health outcomes.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The development of innovative space-based thermal infrared imaging technology (Smart-TIRI) supports infrastructure and innovation goals.
5. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Monitoring urban vegetation and impermeable surfaces relates to sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   • Target 11.b: Increase the number of cities adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: Reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors, including space technologies.
5. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Surface Temperature Measurements
   • The article mentions using thermal infrared (TIR) data products to measure surface temperatures in urban areas, which can be used as an indicator of Urban Heat Island intensity and trends.
2. Frequency and Resolution of Observations
   • Daily nighttime observations with a resolution of 64 meters provide detailed heat maps, which serve as indicators for monitoring urban temperature variations over time.
3. Health Impact Metrics
   • While not explicitly quantified, the article implies monitoring morbidity and mortality rates related to heat stress as indicators linked to the health impacts of UHIs.
4. Energy Consumption in Urban Areas
   • The increase in energy consumption due to UHIs is mentioned, suggesting energy use metrics as an implied indicator for assessing the socioeconomic impact.
5. Adoption of Urban Planning and Climate Policies
   • The use of heat maps to guide urban planning and climate policies implies indicators related to policy implementation and effectiveness in mitigating UHIs.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thalesaleniaspace.com