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From ambition to orbit: Turning European space sovereignty into operational reality
Following the International Space Summit in Paris this past September, Sopra Steria, through its space subsidiary CS Group, and Italian scale-up AIKO are integrating their respective technologies. The agreement builds on a collaboration that began several years ago under the ASTREK initiative and reflects the spirit of the Quirinal Treaty between France and Italy, which identifies space as a strategic pillar of European sovereignty.
Four days. That is how far in advance gifted_GENE, an Italian-developed algorithm, can detect a satellite anomaly before it develops into a failure. The technology is already being used by satellite manufacturer Tyvak International and Italian aerospace company AVIO to monitor their fleets. This predictive capability is now being integrated into GOSMIC, the satellite operations solution developed by Sopra Steria’s CS Group, which can manage constellations ranging from just a few dozen to sometimes hundreds of satellites, all from a single control centre.
Too many satellites, not enough hands
The number of spacecraft in orbit continues to grow, bringing with it an ever-increasing volume of data that operators must process to maintain command of their missions. Traditional control centres were designed to monitor only a handful of satellites at a time and are now struggling to keep pace with much larger fleets.
For most operators, hiring staff at the same rate as constellations expand is simply not a realistic option. Artificial intelligence has therefore become the only viable means of absorbing this growing operational workload.
Two building blocks, one interface
GOSMIC uses a microservices architecture that brings together a multi-satellite control centre, a cloud-native planning system and an Orekit-based flight dynamics engine, all accessible through a single web interface. The gifted_GENE algorithm adds a capability that GOSMIC previously lacked: advanced telemetry analysis able to correlate weak signals and identify the root cause of an anomaly before it develops into a failure.
“By integrating gifted_GENE’s predictive capabilities into our GOSMIC suite, we are giving space operators a unified view of their missions, with the ability to anticipate anomalies several days before they occur,” says Sylvain D’Hoine, Space Programs Director Sopra Steria (CS Group). “This is precisely the kind of end-to-end solution that Europe must be able to offer in its own right.”
Five years in the making
This agreement builds on an established relationship. Sopra Steria’s CS Group and AIKO France have worked together for several years through ASTREK, the initiative that brings together Europe’s leading space surveillance stakeholders.
What changes with this agreement is the transition from occasional collaboration to the long-term integration of both technologies within a single offering. For operators, the benefits are tangible: more responsive ground teams, optimised satellite operations, and stronger protection for infrastructures that are becoming increasingly exposed as data volumes continue to grow year after year.
From Rome to Paris
The Executive Letter accompanying the agreement is more than a standard industrial announcement. It is addressed to the French presidency and to the Italian authorities. It explicitly links the partnership to the Quirinal Treaty and to the joint declaration signed in Rome on March 9, 2026, by French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste and Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso, which recognises space as a strategic pillar of European sovereignty.
“This partnership with AIKO is the practical continuation of the ambition championed by France and Italy through the Quirinal Treaty,” adds D’Hoine. “We are demonstrating that well-structured European cooperation can transform political ambition into genuine technological capability.”
The timing is no coincidence. On September 9 and 10, the International Space Summit brought together Europe’s leading space stakeholders in Paris around a shared question: can Europe’s space sector translate a common political ambition into operational solutions? The agreement between Sopra Steria’s CS Group and AIKO provides an early answer.
About the Partnership
AIKO: Founded in Turin in 2017, employing more than 60 specialists across Italy and France (Toulouse), with over €5 million raised since 2020.
gifted_GENE: AIKO’s predictive maintenance platform, already deployed by Tyvak International and AVIO, capable of predicting anomalies up to four days in advance.
GOSMIC: The space operations suite founded by Sopra Steria’s CS Group, featuring a multi-satellite control centre, cloud-native planning capabilities and an Orekit-based flight dynamics engine.
Diplomatic framework: Executive Letter addressed to the French and Italian presidents, linked to the Quirinal Treaty and the Rome Declaration of March 9, 2026 signed by French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste and Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso.