About us

Sodern has been developing cutting-edge technology for the space, defense and neutron analysis markets for 60 years.

It is our conviction that experience is an essential factor for excellence and credibility and throughout our history we have been able to capitalize on this strength to generate breakthrough innovations.

We are proud to take part in state of the art, cutting edge programs, and to  develop highly competitive solutions for missions for which efficiency and speed are key factors.

450+
employees
60%
engineers
60y
experience

The world reference in space optronics, Sodern equips nearly one third of international satellites and space vehicles, for all types of mission: telecommunications and observation satellites, scientific and climate monitoring programs, solar system exploration missions and more.

As a strategic supplier to the French Armed Forces Ministry, Sodern operates in the areas of nuclear deterrence, space security and optronics equipment installed on military satellites, missiles or other platforms.

As the world leader in neutron generators, Sodern is also a pioneer in neutron analysis instruments, such as the FastGradeTM probe, which enables subsoils to be explored and characterized.

Our activities

STAR TRACKERS
Sodern is the world leader in the star tracker market and offers the widest range of products on the market, a range which is adapted to all budgets and orbits.
M51 STAR TRACKERS
Sodern's excellence in star trackers is reinforced by our participation in the M51 program, the French nuclear deterrent's sea-launched ballistic missiles.
NEUTRON TUBES AND GENERATORS
Sodern is the world leader in civil neutron generators, with core competencies derived from our contribution to France's nuclear deterrence.
DAYTIME STAR TRACKERS
Sodern develops revolutionary star tracking positioning applications, which operate even in daytime, for the armed forces.
SPACE CAMERAS
Navigation, observation, space surveillance, situational awareness, rendez-vous, monitoring and more. Sodern develops and produces tailor-made cameras which are adapted to all missions.
NEUTRON ANALYSIS
Sodern develops neutron analyzers for companies involved in the mining, cement and other markets.

Our management team

Vincent Dedieu
Chairman & CEO
Vincent Dedieu, Chief Armament Engineer, is the Chief Executive Officer of Sodern. After starting his career at the "Direction Générale de l'Armement", Vincent Dedieu served as the rapporteur for the Fioraso report in 2016. In the same year, he joined Sodern as Director of Strategy and Innovation before being appointed Deputy General Manager and Director of Operations in March 2018. In September 2016, Vincent Dedieu joined Sodern as Director of Strategy and Innovation before being appointed Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer (COO) in March 2018.
Jean-Marc Espinasse
Deputy CEO, Chief Operating Officer
Jean-Marc Espinasse is the Deputy General Manager and Director of Operations at Sodern. A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and ENSTA Paris, Jean-Marc Espinasse is a Chief Armament Engineer. He joined Sodern in 2019 as Director of Strategy and Innovation, after starting his career in aeronautics and defense at the "Direction Générale de l'Armement". Since his arrival, he has implemented an ambitious strategy to make Sodern a global leader in its market segments.
Frédéric de Larminat
Chief Financial Officer
Sandra Feilles
Vice-President Innovation & Programs
Fabien Robert
Vice-President Business Development & Sales
Brice Henry
Vice-President Site manager
Anne Legallais
Vice-President, Human Resources
Tom Ricciardi
CEO's Chief of Staff

They trust us

Significant events

2023
2021
2021
2020
2019
2018
2018
2017
2016
2015
2012
2009
1998
1990
1986
1978
1975
1974
1962
June 2023
Daytime star tracker demonstration
Discover Sodern's new innovation: daytime star tracker at Paris Air Show 2023 from June 19 to 25.
September 2021
Delivery of the JUICE NavCam
Sodern delivers the navigation cameras for the ESA's Jupiter moon exploration mission, JUICE.
July 2021
Delivery of the NASA Europa Clipper star trackers
Sodern's solution is installed on board the NASA mission to explore one of Jupiter's moons, Europa.
December 2020
First flight test for a daytime star tracker
Conducted on a French Military acquisitions agency (DGA) plane, this first flight test demonstrated the relevance of Sodern's star trackers for on board geolocation applications, including at daytime.
February 2019
First flight for the Auriga star tracker
Auriga, a highly competitive and very compact star tracker, began its operational career on board a satellite from Airbus OneWeb Satellites.
May 2018
Delivery of the hundredth Hydra star tracker
Sodern's best-known star tracker, Hydra has several optical heads depending on the customer's wishes: one hundred-star trackers represented 250 optical heads delivered.
May 2018
Launch of the CSO satellite
CSO is a high resolution French military Earth observation satellite. The core of the image capture system, the focal plane, was designed by Sodern.
2017
SEIS delivery (NASA InSight)
The SEIS seismometer is the main instrument for the NASA InSight Mars exploration mission. Sodern designed and produced the core of SEIS.
2016
Contract for 1 800 Auriga star trackers
Airbus OneWeb Satellites placed its trust in Sodern to equip all the satellites in the One Web constellation.
2015
First FastGradeTM probe
Deployed initially in Australia, FastGradeTM is revolutionizing the mining sector.
2012
First Hydra
The world reference in high performance star trackers, Hydra is adapted to all types of mission in all orbits, as well as in deep space.
2009
Videometer on the ATV
Sodern's videometer enables the first docking in history between the international space station and a supply vessel, the European Automated Transfer Vehicle.
1998
First online analyzer
Our cross-belt analyzers (CNA) use a controlled pulse neutron generator.
1990
1st star tracker on a telecom satellite
Faithful to its pioneering culture, Sodern was at the origin of the 1st launch in the world of a star tracker on a civil geostationary telecommunications satellite.
1986
First focal plane
The French SPOT 1 satellite is equipped with the DTA01 camera, the result of 8 years of development by Sodern.
1978
TN26 and GENIE 16 neutron generators
Sodern strengthens its position as world leader in neutron generators.
1975
1st Sodern star tracker
Sodern disrupts its own Earth sensor market to invest in a product of the future: star trackers.
1974
1st European Earth sensors
The ancestors of star trackers, Earth sensors enable satellites to orient themselves. Sodern would become the world leader in this technology.
1962
Creation of Sodern
Sodern is created to fulfil a highly strategic mission: to develop and produce the neutron sources needed for France's nuclear deterrent.