The structural model of the new European radar mission ROSE-L has just passed an intensive series of mechanical tests – including strong vibration “shakes” and acoustic loads – that simulate the conditions of launch and the first phases of flight. The test campaign, carried out over five weeks between October and the end of November 2025 at the Thales Alenia Space facilities near Rome, was completed without irregularities, thus paving the way for the final integration of the operational satellite.

Why this step is important

ROSE-L (Radar Observing System for Europe in L-band) is part of the Copernicus expansion and represents the future “radar backbone” for the continuity of data on land, coasts and the cryosphere. The L-band (wavelength ~24 cm) penetrates deeper through vegetation than the C-band of the Sentinel-1 mission, which delivers a more stable signal in dense forests and on agricultural areas with a well-developed canopy. New products will be built on this physical advantage: detailed soil-moisture maps, biomass monitoring, detection of flooded areas, land-cover changes and more robust interferometry in areas where the C-band loses coherence more quickly.

What was tested in concrete terms

On the “shaker” (vibration platform) there was a structural model that faithfully reproduces the future satellite in mass and stiffness. “Mass dummies” were installed – weights that mimic the real modules: winged solar arrays, the huge L-band antenna, mounts and flanges. The structure – central cylinder, upper and lower cone and the interface ring with the rocket – was exposed to sinusoidal vibrations along the three main axes and to acoustic waves similar to the sound pressure during launch. The goal was to show that the natural frequencies, damping and local stresses remain within the limits of the design calculations. Engineers state that the measured responses are consistent with the numerical models and that there are no signs of fatigue or delamination of the composites.

From statics in Brno to dynamics in Rome

Before the dynamic tests, in July 2025 the satellite structure passed static tests at SAB Aerospace in Brno (Czechia). There, the structure was loaded with quasi-static forces that represent extreme cases during launch and manoeuvres. After that, the model was transferred to Italy, where it went through “acoustics + vibrations”, thus closing the qualification cycle at structural level. Part of the components from the structural model will, after refurbishment, also be used on the actual flight unit – a typical measure to optimise cost and time in European programmes.

Industrial chain and division of roles

Thales Alenia Space (TAS) is the prime contractor – responsible for the platform, system integration, verification and support during launch and commissioning. The L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is being developed by Airbus Defence and Space in Germany, after which it will be integrated on the TAS platform. Partners from Czechia and other Member States are working on the structure and secondary elements, so ROSE-L clearly illustrates the typical “pan-European” footprint of Copernicus, in which the value chain includes dozens of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The antenna that defines the class

The most recognisable part of ROSE-L will be the largest planar-deployed radar antenna ever sent into space – with dimensions of approximately 11 × 3.6 metres. In operation it uses digital beam steering, polarimetry and interferometry, which enables flexible “operating modes”: from wide-area surveys to targeted high resolution. According to publicly available specifications, the reference “workhorse” mode (RIWS) offers dual-polarisation acquisition with a swath width of about 260 km at a spatial resolution on the order of 50 m, with a noise-equivalent backscatter (NESZ) of around ~-28 dB. This balances the needs of services in which frequent refresh of imagery over large areas is important.

Orbit, imaging frequency and synergy with Sentinel-1

A Sun-synchronous orbit at about 693 km is planned. In combination with the existing C-band Sentinel-1 radar data, ROSE-L will provide complementary information: the C-band is more sensitive to changes at the surface and has a strong interferometric heritage in urban and bare terrains, while the L-band will stabilise the signal in forests and crops with high leaf mass. Operationally, the goal is to achieve global image refresh every six days in standard modes, and depending on the constellation configuration and strip prioritisation, some user cases may operate with a three-day revisit.

What will be measured and who needs it

Agriculture and soil: ROSE-L will continuously monitor soil moisture and dynamic changes in surface texture, which is crucial for irrigation, yield estimation and drought alerts. The L-band is particularly suitable for separating the signals of vegetation and soil in agricultural environments of medium and high canopy coverage.

Forestry and biomass: L-band wavelengths retain coherence through the canopy and “see” forest structure better. This opens the possibility for more reliable monitoring of logging, secondary succession and degradation, as well as support for carbon inventory.

Water and ice: ROSE-L will complement existing Copernicus products on sea ice (type, edge, dynamics) and land ice (glacier motion, snow cover). In combination with Sentinel-1 and optical missions, a powerful set for polar and mountain regions emerges.

Risks and security: Thanks to the SAR “night-cloud” capability, it is possible to reliably map floods, landslides, oil spills and other hazards, regardless of clouds or illumination, with short delivery latency.

Data: open, fast and predictable

For a decade, Copernicus has pursued a “free, full and open” data policy, and ROSE-L will fit into this. For operational users this means a predictable imaging schedule and timely availability of products through official interfaces. The Copernicus Data Space ecosystem ensures continuous access to the full archive and new acquisitions, with APIs for automation and processing close to the data. This combination – predictable orbital plans and open access – is the reason why Copernicus forms the foundation of many early-warning systems, from droughts and fires to coastal pollution.

After the “shakes”: where ROSE-L is being built

The next phase is the integration of the real flight model in the new Space Smart Factory complex in Rome – a modern, digitally managed factory that Thales Alenia Space opened this autumn. The facility brings together modular ISO 8 clean-room spaces, automated logistics and a digital thread from design to testing. For missions such as ROSE-L this means a faster turnaround between subsystem tests and system verification, standardised procedures and better configuration traceability.

Technical cross-section of the mission

• Instrument: L-band SAR with digital beam steering, polarimetry and interferometry; the largest planar-deployed antenna (~11 × 3.6 m) in space.


• Orbit: Sun-synchronous, ~693 km; global coverage with a target six-day revisit in reference modes.


• Resolutions/modes: Wide-swath mode for continuity of service (hundreds of kilometres of swath width, ~50 m), and higher-resolution modes for targeted analyses; dual polarisation as standard.


• Synergy: Designed to operate as a pair with Sentinel-1 (C-band) – a joint orbital concept and coverage of the same swath widths enable data fusion.


• Lifetime: about 7.5 years per satellite.


• Data: Open access via Copernicus Data Space; planned standardisation of products for Copernicus Land and Emergency services.

Industry and the broader European context

ROSE-L comes at a time when Europe is stabilising its own access to space: Ariane 6 is in operational use, Vega-C is flying again and industry is modernising production capacities (Space Smart Factory in Rome is a case in point). Together with national investments and European programmes, the goal is faster delivery of satellites and greater resilience of supply chains. In this sense, ROSE-L is both a technological and an industrial project – it demonstrates how large, complex radar systems can be assembled in shorter cycles with greater reliance on digital integration.

Planned time horizons

According to official Copernicus documentation, the launch of the ROSE-L mission is planned for 2028 (deadlines for large programmes always remain subject to change due to integration and launch factors). The operational period is foreseen for the first half of the 2030s, with the intention of ensuring continuity of key services: soil moisture and agriculture, forestry, sea and land ice and emergency services.

How users will work with the data

For institutions, media and companies that already use Sentinel-1, the transition to a “C+L” strategy means better robustness and fewer gaps in time series. For example, in tropical regions with dense forest mass, the L-band mitigates the problem of decorrelation, so interferometric products become feasible over larger areas. In agriculture, fusion of Sentinel-1 (C) and ROSE-L (L) signals can improve detection of phenological phases and estimation of soil moisture in deeper layers. At sea, a combination of polarisations and wave modes facilitates separation of signals from waves, wind and oil pollution. All this, together with an open data policy, lowers the barriers to entry for regional development and civil protection authorities.

Engineering notes from the test campaign

Mechanical tests of this type are not just a “formality”. Acoustic chambers with levels above 140 dB and shakers with multidimensional excitations reveal hidden vibration modes and local resonances of mounts and panel joints. If a deviation is found, engineers revise the calculations and, where necessary, reinforce rib zones, change the insert alloy or define a “no-go” frequency band for operational mechanisms during launch. In this case, the ESA project team emphasises that the structure “passed with excellent results”, which means that the margins remained at or above the design values, without anomalies in the accumulation of stresses or separation of composite layers.

What comes next

In the coming months the focus shifts to integration of the flight platform and receipt of the instrument. Functional and thermal-vacuum tests, EMC verifications and final mechanical repetitions on the flight model will follow. In parallel, operational teams in the Copernicus services are preparing acquisition plans, strip priorities and calibration/validation campaigns in the field, so that the first operational data series can enter regular product generation as soon as possible.

What ROSE-L means for users in practice

For farmers and administrations: more reliable monitoring of soil moisture and crop health in seasons with many clouds. For foresters: more stable biomass estimates and faster detection of logging. For rescue services and civil protection: faster and more frequent flood and landslide maps, regardless of time of day or meteorological conditions. For scientists: new parameters and better coherence in vegetation-rich regions. And for EU citizens: another argument that investments in space infrastructure have a measurable return through food security, community resilience and better management of natural resources.