Toulouse, September 15, 2026
Successful Launch of the FLEX Satellite: Magellium Artal Group at the Heart of Data Processing for the ESA Mission
The FLEX (FLuorescence EXplorer) satellite, an ESA Earth observation mission, was successfully launched on Monday, September 14, at 10:21 p.m. (local time) from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou. This innovative European mission will enable scientists to observe the fluorescence emitted by vegetation from space and to better understand plant photosynthesis as well as carbon exchange between vegetation and the atmosphere.
As a partner in the mission since 2017, Magellium Artal Group has played a major role in data processing and analysis. Through ESA’s FLEX DISC project, the broad consortium led by Magellium Artal Group has contributed to the refinement of scientific algorithms and the development of processing pipelines that will transform raw satellite measurements into data that can be used by the scientific community.
A New Mission to Better Understand Vegetation from Space
FLEX is the eighth mission in ESA’s Earth Explorer program and is dedicated to the study of plant fluorescence, a faint light emission naturally produced by plants during photosynthesis.
On board the satellite, the FLORIS (FLuORescence Imaging Spectrometer) hyperspectral instrument will enable FLEX to measure this fluorescence on a global scale. In conjunction with the Sentinel-3 satellite, these observations will make it possible to produce maps of vegetation photosynthetic activity.
This data will provide new insights into plant health and stress and will contribute to a better understanding of carbon exchanges between ecosystems and the atmosphere. In particular, it will improve the monitoring of the effects of water stress and climate change on vegetation for various applications, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Magellium Artal Group, a provider of FLEX data processing services since 2017
Since the mission was selected, Magellium Artal Group has been supporting ESA in developing the methods and workflows needed to process FLEX data.
As part of the FLEX L2 project, launched in 2017, Magellium Artal Group led a European scientific consortium and contributed to the prototyping and refinement of Level 2 processing algorithms.
In 2024, the ESA reaffirmed its confidence in Magellium Artal Group by entrusting it with the coordination of the FLEX DISC consortium—FLuorescence EXplorer Data Innovation and Science Cluster—comprising 14 European partners.
In particular, the teams are involved in the development and validation of operational processing lines, including the Instrument Processing Facility (IPF), as well as in performance monitoring and data processing operations.
From Launch to Operations: A New Phase Begins
After several years devoted to research, prototyping, and the development of algorithms and processing chains, the consortium will now support the satellite's commissioning, the in-orbit validation of the processing procedures, and the monitoring of the mission's performance.
“Le lancement de FLEX constitue une étape particulièrement importante après plusieurs années de travaux scientifiques et techniques. Nos équipes ont contribué à faire mûrir les algorithmes et les chaînes de traitement qui permettront de transformer les observations du satellite en données scientifiques de qualité. Avec FLEX DISC, nous allons désormais accompagner la mission dans sa phase opérationnelle et contribuer à tirer le meilleur parti de ces nouvelles données sur la fluorescence de la végétation.”
– Joël DORANDEU, Directeur de l’unité Observation de la Terre chez Magellium Artal Group
Magellium Artal Group thanks ESA and extends its congratulations to all the European teams and partners who contributed to the successful launch and preparation of the FLEX mission.
About Magellium Artal Group
Magellium Artal Group is an engineering and services firm with nearly 300 engineers and PhDs, recognized for its scientific expertise as well as its capabilities in software and systems engineering, image processing, and geospatial data.
For the past 26 years, the company has been offering high-value-added solutions, mastering image data processing technologies, and developing and maintaining complex software tailored to its clients’ needs. With 10% of our revenue dedicated to research and development, our commitment to innovation has shaped our reputation among major national, European, and international players.
Press contact: Joël DORANDEU, Director of the Earth Observation Unit at Magellium Artal Group – joel.dorandeu@magellium.com
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You can view and download the press release in PDF format here.
