Tag: Europe
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ESA Ministers to Weigh Historic Move Toward Defense-Focused Space Projects
The European Space Agency (ESA) is poised for a pivotal decision later this month, as its Council of Ministers prepares to vote on a package of projects that could mark the agency’s first formal step toward supporting European defense activities. The two-day meeting, scheduled for Nov. 26–27, will bring together senior officials from ESA’s 23…
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Germany’s Reflex Aerospace Raises €50 Million to Boost Satellite Production Amid Rising Defence Demand
Germany’s Reflex Aerospace said on Tuesday it had secured €50 million ($58.3 million) in a Series A funding round to expand its satellite manufacturing capacity as demand for both civil and defence applications rises across Europe. The funding round — led by investors Human Element, Alpine Space Ventures, Bayern Kapital, HTGF and Renovatio Financial Investments…
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FibreCoat and Lofith Composites Partner to Develop Lighter, Stronger Satellite Panel Material
Two European startups, Germany’s FibreCoat and Spain’s Lofith Composites, have teamed up to create a new composite material for satellite panels designed to be lighter, stronger, and more sustainable than conventional materials such as aluminum. The companies plan to demonstrate the thermoplastic composite in orbit next year aboard an undisclosed satellite, with a year-long test…
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Spanish Startup Kreios Space Secures €8 Million to Advance Very Low Earth Orbit Satellite Technology
Spanish aerospace startup Kreios Space has raised €8 million in a seed funding round to support the launch of a demonstration mission of its air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) technology in very low Earth orbit (VLEO) in early 2027. The round was led by the NATO Innovation Fund and JOIN Capital, with participation from Grow Venture…
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Planet Labs to Expand Satellite Production in Berlin with Eight-Figure Investment
California-based Planet Labs plans to establish its first satellite production facility outside the United States in Berlin, investing an eight-figure sum to double its high-resolution satellite output, the company said. The move will add up to 70 employees to the 150 staff already working at its Berlin-based European headquarters, according to CEO Will Marshall. The…
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How Pangea is reshaping rocket propulsion by reigniting the aerospike design
The Spanish and French company Pangea is positioning itself as a go-to propulsion company within the aerospace industry. It first drew attention in 2021 with a successful demonstration of an aerospike engine in Germany. Four years on, testing is already underway for its larger, reusable Arcos engine, which is on course to become the first…
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Maxar Intelligence Partners with Saab to Develop GPS-Independent Drone Navigation for Defense
Maxar Intelligence has signed an agreement with Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab to develop battlefield intelligence products leveraging satellite data, including Maxar’s new terrain-based navigation system that enables drones to operate without relying on GPS signals. The collaboration grants Saab access to Maxar’s geospatial intelligence products, which encompass high-resolution satellite imagery, 3D terrain data,…
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ispace’s Resilience Lander to Deliver Science, Art, and Lunar Samples Amid Ambitious Growth Plans
ispace’s upcoming lunar lander, Resilience, carries a range of payloads from Japanese companies and a Taiwanese university, including a water electrolyzer, food production experiments, and a deep space radiation study. Among the commercial payloads is a “commemorative alloy plate” from Bandai Namco Research Inc., the research division of the Japanese entertainment company Bandai Namco, with…
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Europe Faces Skepticism Over Viability of IRIS² Satellite Constellation Amid Push for Space Autonomy
Despite growing enthusiasm in Europe for achieving autonomy in space infrastructure, significant doubts remain about the feasibility of IRIS², a major government-backed satellite communications constellation project aimed at providing secure connectivity across Europe. The Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) initiative, backed by a consortium known as SpaceRISE, aims to deploy a…
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EnduroSat Raises €43 Million to Expand Satellite Production for Next-Generation Endurance Platform
Bulgaria-based EnduroSat has secured €43 million ($48.8 million) in new funding to ramp up production of its next-generation modular satellites, the company said this week, marking a significant step toward delivering scalable, reconfigurable space platforms for commercial and government missions. The investment round was led by U.S.-based Founders Fund, with participation from CEECAT Capital, Morphosis…