Airbus Pléiades Neo Next source-backed forecast: first satellite planned for early-2028 Vega C launch; replacements are lifecycle assumptions, not disclosed annual cadence.
2 forecast rows linked to this constellation.
| Forecast entry | Year | Satellites | Orbit | Vehicle | Manufacturer | Mission | Launch likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pléiades Neo Next 1 |
0 linked spacecraft shown.
| Spacecraft | Status | Orbit | Launch date |
|---|---|---|---|
No linked spacecraftNo spacecraft rows are currently linked to this constellation. | |||
No spacecraft rows are currently linked to this constellation.
| 2028 |
| 1 |
| SSO/Polar |
| Vega C |
| Airbus Defence and Space |
| Earth Observation |
| 4.5 / 5 |
| Pléiades Neo Next lifecycle replacement Lifecycle replacement for Airbus Pléiades Neo Next very high resolution optical imaging service; launch vehicle not yet assigned. | 2038 | 1 | SSO/Polar | TBD | Airbus Defence and Space | Earth Observation | 3.1 / 5 |
Users will be able to directly task Airbus Pléiades Neo Next satellites up to a few dozen minutes prior to a satellite overpass of an area of interest.
Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next together will provide higher revisit frequencies anywhere on Earth, up to several times per day.
Pléiades Neo Next is a program funded, manufactured, and operated by Airbus Defense and Space.
Pléiades Neo Next development will improve the ground segment, the Direct Receiving Stations, and the OneAtlas platform to increase imagery request capacity and optimize the time between request, capture, and reception.
Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next together will provide the best spatial resolution and geolocation accuracy available in the market.
The full image capacity of the Pléiades Neo Next program will be available to sectors including defence and intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, mapping, location-based services, civil engineering, urban planning, and utilities.
The Pléiades Neo Next program will introduce satellite assets with 20-cm-class native resolution.
The first Airbus Pléiades Neo Next satellite is scheduled to launch in early 2028 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Images from Pléiades Neo Next will be received through customers’ Direct Receiving Stations on the ground or via the OneAtlas digital platform shortly after collection.
Avio’s Vega C rocket will carry the first Pléiades Neo Next satellite into orbit.
The first Pléiades Neo Next satellite will be launched on Avio’s Vega C rocket.
Airbus awarded Avio a contract to launch the first Pléiades Neo Next Earth observation satellite aboard a Vega C rocket from the Guiana Space Centre.
Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next operating together will provide increased revisit frequency to any point on Earth, up to multiple times per day, combined with improved spatial resolution and geolocation accuracy.
Airbus Defence and Space operates the Pléiades Neo Next programme as the successor to the Pléiades Neo constellation.
Pléiades Neo Next satellites will offer native resolution in the 20-centimetre class, an improvement over the 30-centimetre capability of current Pléiades Neo satellites.
Pléiades Neo Next will create new satellite assets and capabilities for Airbus’s Earth Observation services.
Airbus will launch its first Pléiades Neo Next satellite in early 2028 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The Pléiades Neo Next program will include satellite assets with a native resolution class of 20 cm.
The Pléiades Neo Next constellation is expected to offer increased revisit rates and an upgraded ground segment capable of handling a higher volume of imagery requests.
The first Pléiades Neo Next mission is expected to launch in early 2028.