Tag: France
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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…
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French startup Latitude targets 2026 for first launch while following market-driven approach
French small-launch startup Latitude is pushing toward a maiden flight of its Zephyr rocket within the next 18 months, prioritizing speed-to-market and manufacturing efficiency over reusability to capture Europe’s dedicated smallsat launch market. In an interview with NASA Spaceflight’s “Europe’s Future in Space” series, Latitude founder and executive chairman Stanislas Maximin provided an in-depth look…
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Unions Oppose Airbus Plan to Absorb Constellation Satellites Unit
French labour unions are pushing back against Airbus as it moves to consolidate its satellite manufacturing activities, with Airbus Defence and Space set to absorb Airbus Constellations Satellites (ACS). In a statement, the Union Nationale des Syndicats Autonomes (UNSA) described the planned move as “industrial, economic and social nonsense,” arguing that there was no justification…
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CNES, Île-de-France Launch €1 Million AI Challenge for Satellite Data Analysis
The Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES) and the Île-de-France region have launched a €1 million ($1.1 million) challenge aimed at accelerating the use of artificial intelligence to analyse satellite data, as part of France’s broader push to strengthen its space and AI capabilities. The initiative, known as the AI for Space Challenge, was first announced…