France launched its new reconnaissance satellite, CSO-3, with ultra-high resolution, from the Guiana Space Center on March 6, 2025. It is planned that CSO-3 should work in orbit for 10 years.
In connection with the transfer of intelligence information by France to Ukraine, it can be concluded that Ukraine will receive ultra-high-resolution satellite images, including from the new CSO-3.
Interestingly, earlier the satellites of this series CSO-1 and CSO-2 were launched by Russian Soyuz rockets from the Guiana Space Center, but after the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, France abandoned these missiles.
The CSO-3 satellite is capable of capturing high-resolution 3D images in visible and infrared bands. CSO-3 will be able to monitor equally efficiently both at night and during the day.
The first satellite of the series, CSO-1, was launched into orbit in December 2018, the next one, CSO-2, was launched in December 2020. The first and third satellites are located at an altitude of 800 km, which allows you to take images with a resolution of 35 cm. But the CSO-2 is much lower at an altitude of 480 km, thanks to which it can take pictures with a resolution of 20 cm. All satellites weigh 3.5 tons, but even with this weight, it remains quite maneuverable.
It was planned to carry out the launch back in December, but it was postponed to February 26, but then it was postponed again, this time to March 3, due to technical operations on the ground. But then, a few minutes before the launch, a technical problem with the valve of the refueling system was discovered, so the launch was postponed for the third time, already on March 6, and even then at 17:24, the European Ariane 6 launch vehicle with a satellite on board launched from and put the CSO-3 satellite into orbit at an altitude of 800 km.
The implementation of the CSO (Composante spatiale optique) satellite launch project started at the end of 2010, when Airbus Corporation signed a contract with the French space agency CNES, which in turn acted on behalf of the Directorate-General for Armaments (DGA).
The initial version of the agreement provided for the launch of two CSO machines. After Germany joined this program in 2015, the program expanded to three satellites. This program was started to replace the old Helios 2 reconnaissance satellites.