As part of the proposal, Unseenlabs has also included future services from its upcoming Next-Gen constellation, further extending the range of RF capabilities soon available to Copernicus end-users
Unseenlabs has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Copernicus Contributing Missions (CCM) Category 1 – European Emerging EO Data Suppliers, funded by the European Commission.
Under this selection, Unseenlabs has signed a Category 1 contract, a three-year agreement to deliver RF data that will now officially contribute to the Copernicus Earth Observation program, the cornerstone of Europe’s space-based environmental and security monitoring strategy.
Advanced RF detection to support european sovereignty
With its proprietary RF detection technology based on single-satellite architecture, Unseenlabs can identify, geolocate, and characterize any RF-emitting object on Earth – in all weather conditions, day or night.
This disruptive capability allows for the detection of non-cooperative vessels, such as ships that have turned off their AIS (Automatic Identification System) to remain undetected. Such activity poses major challenges in the fight against illegal fishing, piracy, trafficking, and sanction evasion.
With this new contract, Unseenlabs’ RF data will now enhance the Copernicus ecosystem, complementing other sensor types such as optical and radar to deliver richer, multi-layered insights for maritime domain awareness, environmental monitoring, and crisis response.
It is the first time that RF data has been integrated into the CCM program – a strong signal of the growing relevance of RF intelligence to support European institutions. This Category 1 contract represents a first step toward the longer-term ambition of joining Category 2, dedicated to European EO Established Data Suppliers.
Certificate ceremony at the Living Planet Symposium
A certificate ceremony was held during the Living Planet Symposium 2025 in Vienna – ESA’s flagship event gathering Europe’s Earth observation ecosystem, in the presence of Simonetta Cheli, Director for Earth Observation Programmes at ESA and Mauro Facchini, Head of Earth Observation – C3 at DG DEFIS.
This symbolic setting highlights the growing role of RF-based intelligence in the future of Earth observation and reinforces Unseenlabs’ commitment to advancing Europe’s space capabilities.
