Thales Alenia Space has signed a deal with Spanish technology and engineering group Sener to jointly evaluate their collaboration in the future development of optical instruments for space applications.

Under the deal, both companies will soon provide a joint business plan to direct Spain in the development of space optical payloads by taking up both national programmes and international missions, mainly for the European Space Agency (ESA).

Both firms have agreed to provide the necessary resources to develop the required capabilities and make investments to realise their new agreement.

They have also agreed to support and create opportunities in the area of optical observation instruments.

"Sener and Thales Alenia Space España are top companies in the development of space products and highly complementary from a technological standpoint."

Thales Alenia Space España CEO Eduardo Bellido said: "Sener and Thales Alenia Space España are top companies in the development of space products and highly complementary from a technological standpoint.

"Together, with the support from Thales Alenia Space, the European leader in optical space instruments, we gather the needed experience and resources to boost the Spanish industry to lead optical observation instruments."

While helping Spain to lead its way in the space optical payloads development sector, both the companies expect to take expertise from their previous and present collaborations in several science and Earth observation programmes, including Seosat/Ingenio, Meteosat Third Generation, Euclid, BepiColombo, Herschel and Planck, IXV and Proba-3.

Sener defence and space director Diego Rodríguez said: "The collaboration experience among Sener and Thales Alenia Space in the past has been very positive, especially in the high-performance optical instrument of Seosat/Ingenio.

"Furthermore, Sener has a tight relation with the Thales Group; togethermissi we have developed navigation and attitude control systems and antenna subsystems."