The European Space Agency (ESA) has extended and expanded the SSC Space satellite ground station services contract of for the Copernicus programme, the European Union’s Earth observation program, through March 2028.
The updated contract scales the X-band data acquisition service of SSC Space for Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 at Inuvik Ground Station in Canada and Punta Arenas Satellite Station in Chile from December 2026 through March 2028.
It also prolongs the Sentinel-2A campaign at Inuvik and Esrange Space Center through 2026.
“The increased scope of the contract reflects the important role that commercial ground station services play in supporting Copernicus operations. It provides a solid basis for SSC Space to continue investing in the capabilities and global infrastructure required to support Europe’s evolving Earth observation needs”, says Lars Johansson, Business Development Director, Business Area Connect, at SSC Space.
What the extended contract includes
- Extension of X-band acquisition baseline for Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 at Inuvik Ground Station in Canada and Punta Arenas Satellite Station in Chile, from December 2026 through March 2028.
- Extension of the Sentinel-2A campaign at Inuvik and Esrange Space Center through December 2026.
- A new work package for Sentinel-1D commissioning from Inuvik, running from April through June 2026.
- Additional Sentinel-1 pass capacity.
“Together, this represents a significant scope increase, both in the number of satellite passes handled and in the length of the service commitment”, explains Lars Johansson.
A response to a changing Copernicus ground segment
Changes in the Copernicus Mission acquisition configuration scenario in early 2026 increased the need for X-band ground station acquisitions, prompting ESA to expand its use of globally distributed ground station capabilities.
This additional acquisition capacity contributes to maintaining the availability and timeliness of Sentinel data products for users worldwide.
“SSC Space stepped in during the first quarter of 2026 with additional contingency passes, and the new contract change now formalizes and expands that role from April 2026 onward”, says Lars Johansson.
SSC Space has supported the Copernicus program since 2020, providing X-band data acquisition and S-band TT&C services from Esrange Space Center in Sweden, Inuvik Ground Station in Canada, Punta Arenas Satellite Station in Chile and North Pole Satellite Station in Alaska.
“Our cooperation with ESA on Copernicus has grown steadily since 2020, and this expansion takes it to a new level. It’s a strong signal that our ground station network delivers when Europe needs it – at scale, and at short notice,” ends Johansson.
The baseline support of SSC Space under the Copernicus programme has grown from around 640 passes per month at market entry in 2020 to more than 2,000 passes per month in 2026. This growth reflects the increasing operational importance of commercial ground station services in supporting Europe’s Earth observation infrastructure.
“SSC Space has been a trusted contributor to Copernicus operations since 2020, providing ground station service that supports the acquisition of the Copernicus Sentinel mission data. This extension will enable the continued delivery of this service and additional capacity needed to support evolving program requirements”, says Franck Desbouillons, Copernicus Programme – ESA Ground Segment Acquisition Service Manager.
