Tag: France
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Venturi Space Raises Toulouse Facility Investment to €250 Million
Venturi Space has increased its planned investment in a new manufacturing and technology facility in Toulouse, France, to €250 million, up from the €100 million originally announced earlier this year. The Monaco-based space technology company said the expanded investment will support the development and production of technologies for lunar and Martian mobility systems, including rover…
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PLD Space Invests €35 Million in Launch Complex at Guiana Space Centre
PLD Space has announced plans to invest €35 million ($40.8 million) in the development of its launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana. The investment will be carried out between 2025 and 2026 and is intended to support the company’s upcoming Miura 5 launch vehicle program. First Private Operator at…
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Eutelsat Completes €5 Billion Refinancing to Support OneWeb Constellation Upgrade
Eutelsat has completed a €5 billion refinancing package, including the issuance of a new €1.5 billion bond, as the satellite operator seeks to lower borrowing costs and fund the modernization of its OneWeb satellite constellation through 2029. The bond issuance, finalized last week, forms the final step in a broader financial restructuring aimed at reshaping…
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Infinite Orbits Acquires UK-Based Lúnasa Space to Expand In-Orbit Servicing Capabilities
French space services company Infinite Orbits has acquired UK-based Lúnasa Space, marking the company’s expansion into the United Kingdom and adding capabilities in rendezvous, proximity operations and docking technologies. The acquisition is intended to support the development of Infinite Orbits’ satellite life-extension servicer known as Endurance, which is designed to extend the operational life of…
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Eutelsat Secures French-Backed Financing to Expand OneWeb Satellite Constellation
European satellite communications operator Eutelsat has secured nearly €1 billion in government-backed financing from France to support the expansion of its OneWeb low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation, the company said. The €975 million agreement, announced on Feb. 11, is backed by the French Export Credit Agency and will fund a recently signed contract with Airbus Defence and…
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France Blocks Eutelsat Antenna Sale to EQT Over Strategic Concerns
France has blocked satellite operator Eutelsat from selling its ground-based antenna business to private equity firm EQT, citing concerns that the deal would undermine Europe’s ability to compete with Starlink, Bloomberg reported. The proposed transaction, valued at about €550 million (£550 million), would have seen EQT Infrastructure acquire a majority stake in Eutelsat’s Ground Station…
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France Pushes European Preference for Space Defence Assets Amid Security Shift
France is calling for a stronger preference for European-made space assets linked to defence, arguing that the bloc must rapidly reduce reliance on foreign equipment as global security dynamics shift, French and German ministers said on Tuesday. “Time is of the essence” for Europe to develop a space policy that relies far more heavily on…
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Astroscale France, Exotrail Partner on LEO Deorbiting Capabilities
Astroscale France, a subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc., has formed a strategic partnership with Exotrail to develop controlled deorbiting capabilities for satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), the companies said on Thursday. The partnership aims to strengthen European end-of-life satellite management as congestion in LEO increases due to growing demand for telecommunications, Earth observation, navigation…
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France Awards €50 Million SAR Demonstrator Contract to Loft Orbital-Led Consortium
CNES has awarded a contract to a consortium led by Loft Orbital to develop a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery demonstrator, a project designed to strengthen France’s sovereign radar imaging capabilities and establish a national radar imaging value chain, the companies said. The project, known as DESIR (Démonstrateur des Éléments Souverains en Imagerie Radar), is…
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France Awards Loft Orbital €50 Million Contract for First Sovereign SAR Satellite
French satellite manufacturer Loft Orbital has secured a contract worth nearly €50 million ($58.6 million) from the French military to deliver the country’s first sovereign synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite capability, the company said on Tuesday. The award forms part of France’s DESIR programme — short for Demonstrator of Sovereign Radar Imaging Elements — which aims…