Advancing satellite intelligence Sovereign AI Model for Satellite Intelligence

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Airbus Defence and Space and IBM Deutschland are developing Project TerraShield, a sovereign multimodal AI foundation model designed to analyse high-resolution satellite imagery. The initiative combines Airbus's Earth observation expertise with IBM's AI capabilities to strengthen independent security and defence capabilities in Germany and Europe.

Airbus Defence and Space and IBM Deutschland are collaborating on the development of Project TerraShield. The aim of this forward-looking initiative is to create a sovereign, multimodal AI foundation model specifically designed to analyse high-resolution satellite imagery. Presented at the Berlin Security Conference, the partnership combines space expertise with leading AI capabilities to establish independent security and defence capabilities directly in Germany.

Hundreds of satellites deliver enormous volumes of data, measured in petabytes, every day. This is pushing conventional analysis systems beyond their limits. Turning this flood of image data into reliable information quickly is one of the key challenges in satellite-based reconnaissance and Earth observation. Standard AI models generally rely on ordinary web photographs or freely available, relatively low-resolution satellite images. As a result, they struggle to reliably analyse modern imagery in which objects as small as 30 to 50 centimetres (approx. 12 to 20 inches)—such as vehicle types or small structural components—can be clearly distinguished.

Project TerraShield addresses this gap: the models are trained directly on Airbus's secure Earth observation archives. The data foundation includes all-weather radar data from the twin satellites TerraSAR-X and PAZ, which can detect even the smallest changes on the ground through clouds, rain and at night. This is complemented by imagery from Airbus's Pléiades and Pléiades Neo satellite fleets, which capture optical details with a resolution of up to 30 centimetres (approx. 12 inches).

The decisive advantage is that the model processes optical data, radar imagery and heat-sensitive infrared images simultaneously. When deployed, the system can therefore generate a precise operational picture in a very short time, identifying relevant objects or even minor changes in the situation significantly faster and more accurately than existing methods.

Germany's and Europe's technological sovereignty is central to the initiative. In Germany, the project is being managed by Airbus Defence and Space together with a dedicated defence team from IBM Deutschland. Both partners use established standards to ensure that sensitive data, software components and operational expertise remain protected within the country.

Over the coming months, Airbus and IBM Deutschland will further develop the system architecture, test specific use cases for security and defence forces, and provide initial functional prototypes for government authorities and armed forces.