VIGISAT: Our SAR Station Network
A Network of SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) Ground Stations for Reception, Processing, and Analysis
VIGISAT consists of an operational center located in Brest and ground antennas dedicated to radar imaging. CLS leverages these capabilities to observe the planet and conduct maritime domain surveillance missions.
VIGISAT includes the following components:
A Strategic SAR Station Network
The VIGISAT network includes three SAR satellite image receiving stations located in Brest and Toulouse (France), and in Greece, with the option to connect to third-party stations.
These stations enable direct reception and processing of satellite radar images from sensors such as TerraSAR-X/Tandem-X/Paz, Radarsat-2, and Sentinel-1A, Sentinel-1B, and Sentinel-1C.
A 24/7 Analysis and Intelligence Center Based on Four Pillars
- A processing chain dedicated to the reception, processing, and analysis of satellite radar (SAR) and optical imagery, as well as real-time satellite RF detections
- A team of analysts and photo interpreters specialized in maritime intelligence, some with over 20 years of experience in military intelligence centers
- A team of internationally recognized technical experts dedicated to R&D in data processing and analysis
- CLS hosts and operates the SAR Mission Performance Cluster (SAR-MPC) in Brest, responsible for monitoring the performance of the Sentinel-1 (A, B, and C) mission, which is part of the core ground segment of the European Copernicus program
VIGISAT also features multi-mission capabilities for collecting and processing both radar and optical satellite images, as well as satellite RF detections from a wide range of constellations (Unseenlabs, Iceye, Maxar, Deimos, etc.).
In addition to satellite imagery, VIGISAT integrates various sources of information for maritime surveillance: vessel positioning data (VMS, AIS, LRIT), OSINT, meteorological, and oceanographic data.