Budapest, October 2026, MetaSensing, an Italian company specialised in advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems and spaceborne payloads, has signed a contract with REMRED, prime contractor of Hungary’s HULEO Earth observation programme, for the development of two StarSAR-X SAR payloads. The agreement marks a further step in the deployment of MetaSensing’s spaceborne SAR technology and brings its capabilities to a new European constellation.
MetaSensing was selected through a competitive process following an extensive market assessment involving multiple potential suppliers. Key selection factors included the company’s technical capabilities, notably the potential for ground resolution of up to 20 centimetres, and its advanced phased-array architecture with electronic beam steering in both azimuth and elevation, providing high operational flexibility and observation agility.
The two StarSAR-X satellites will form the radar component of HULEO’s eight-satellite constellation, which will consist of six electro-optical and two radar satellites. One of the key advantages of SAR technology is its ability to observe the Earth largely independently of weather and lighting conditions: radar satellites can acquire data through cloud cover and in rain or snow, as well as during nighttime. Combined with the high-resolution and multispectral imaging of the electro-optical satellites, SAR data will give HULEO a more robust, flexible and continuous observation capability and reduce the dependence of data acquisition on weather conditions.
“We are proud to bring MetaSensing’s StarSAR-X technology to the HULEO programme and to contribute two advanced SAR payloads to this new European Earth observation constellation. HULEO represents an important step in the continued deployment of our spaceborne SAR technology and demonstrates the value of combining advanced radar capabilities with complementary optical observation. We are particularly pleased to work alongside REMRED and within the 4iG space ecosystem, bringing together our SAR expertise with the advanced satellite integration and testing capabilities available at the REMTECH Space Center in Hungary. We believe this combination of specialised technologies, state-of-the-art infrastructure and strong European industrial cooperation provides an excellent foundation for the successful implementation of the HULEO programme.”
Adriano Meta, CEO & Founder, MetaSensing
StarSAR-X is the same SAR payload that MetaSensing provides as Payload Prime Contractor for the NOX SAR mission within Italy’s IRIDE Earth observation programme, together with the associated payload ground segment.
REMRED, as prime contractor of HULEO, is responsible for coordinating the implementation and system integration of the satellite system, including manufacturing, integration, testing and verification, which will be carried out at the REMTECH Space Center in Martonvásár, Hungary. Commenting on the agreement, Balázs Zábori, Founder & Chief Technical Officer of REMRED, said: “With HULEO, we are not simply building satellites. We are creating a complex Earth observation SmallSat capability in Hungary in which different technologies reinforce each other. Bringing MetaSensing’s SAR technology into the programme is an important step in this direction: by combining optical and radar observation, the constellation will offer significantly broader and more flexible application capabilities. What is particularly important for us is that we are building this on strong European technology partnerships combined with Hungarian system integration capabilities, with the satellites to be integrated and tested at REMTECH Space Technology Center.”
Balázs Zábori, Founder & Chief Technical Officer, REMRED
