ESA taps OVHcloud, CGI to build system for Earth observation data

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Published: 2026-10-03T14:30:32.195Z • Permanent link

European Space Agency (ESA) has selected French cloud computing provider OVHcloud and Canadian multinational CGI to build a system for processing and analyzing Earth observation data. This significant partnership marks a major step forward in the agency's efforts to harness the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning to better understand and manage our planet. The project, which is expected to be completed by 2026, will see OVHcloud and CGI develop a custom-built system that will enable the ESA to process and analyze vast amounts of satellite data, providing valuable insights into climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation.

At the heart of the project is the ESA's Copernicus program, which aims to provide a comprehensive and sustainable service for the production and dissemination of European satellite-based Earth observation data. The program, which was launched in 2010, has already made significant contributions to our understanding of the Earth's environment, from monitoring deforestation and land degradation to tracking ocean currents and sea levels. The new system, which will be built on OVHcloud's cloud infrastructure, will enable the ESA to process and analyze even more complex and nuanced data, providing even more detailed insights into the health of our planet.

Key individuals involved in the project include ESA's Director-General, Josef Aschbacher, and OVHcloud's CEO, Yves Poullet. Poullet stated that the partnership with the ESA is a "major milestone" for OVHcloud, highlighting the company's ability to deliver complex IT projects on a global scale. The ESA, meanwhile, has praised the expertise and capabilities of OVHcloud and CGI, saying that the partnership will help to drive the agency's efforts to harness the power of AI and machine learning in the field of Earth observation.

The new system being built by OVHcloud and CGI has significant implications for the geospatial and environmental communities. For companies such as Planet Labs and DigitalGlobe, which provide satellite imagery and data analysis services to governments and researchers around the world, the ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data will be a major competitive advantage. Research communities, meanwhile, will benefit from the new system, which will enable them to analyze and interpret data in ways that were previously impossible. The impact of the system will also be felt in markets such as the insurance industry, where accurate and timely data analysis can help to mitigate the risks of natural disasters.

In terms of policy implications, the new system has the potential to play a major role in shaping the European Union's climate and environmental policies. The EU has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change, and the new system will enable policymakers to better understand and track progress towards these goals. The system will also enable researchers to analyze and interpret data on a global scale, providing valuable insights into the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and human populations.

The partnership between the ESA, OVHcloud, and CGI is part of a larger trend towards the use of cloud computing and AI in the field of Earth observation. In recent years, companies such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft have invested heavily in developing cloud-based solutions for the geospatial and environmental communities, and the ESA has been at the forefront of this trend. The agency's Copernicus program, which was launched in 2010, has already made significant contributions to our understanding of the Earth's environment, and the new system will enable the agency to build on this progress.