Germany’s €10B satellite constellation: autonomy or fragmentation?
This week is full of contracts; new atomic clock in orbit and more!
Welcome to Aerospace Insider 🚀
Hope you are off to a good week. Let’s get to the news of the week.
Today’s summary:
🚀 Aerospace News: contracts and funding coming in for European companies.
💼 Jobs: bye, bye, jobs.
🔍 Deep Dive: Germany wants its own Starlink?
Aerospace Weekly Roundup
Catch the latest European & global space industry highlights you don’t want to miss!
⏳ ACES atomic clocks launched to redefine time measurement
ESA's Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) has launched to the International Space Station to test fundamental physics and redefine time measurement. Using two ultra-precise clocks (PHARAO and SHM) and an advanced time transfer system, ACES will deliver the most accurate time signal ever from space. The mission aims to test Einstein's theory of general relativity and improve global synchronisation. ACES will be installed on the Columbus module and conduct extended measurement sessions over 30 months.
🔄 Rocket Factory Augsburg replaces CEO
RFA has appointed Indulis Kalnins as its new CEO, replacing Stefan Tweraser. Kalnins brings expertise from the aerospace industry and academia. The change aims to focus on technical progress and prepare for RFA's first launch attempt. The company is targeting a launch window within six to eight months (hopefully in this 2025?) and has secured a license for up to 10 launches a year from SaxaVord.
💵 ATMOS secures €1M to boost space logistics
ATMOS Space Cargo has secured a €1M investment to support the development of ATMOS's reusable capsule technology, including the upcoming test of the PHOENIX 1 reentry capsule on SpaceX's Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission in April 2025. The investment will also accelerate the development of the next-generation PHOENIX 2 capsule for orbital return logistics. ATMOS aims to provide sustainable solutions for returning payloads from space to Earth.
💰 Spanish Government boosts Startical with €10.5M
The Spanish Government has authorized an injection of up to €10.5M to support Startical, a public-private satellite initiative. This funding will promote the development of the first technological demonstration phase. Startical, co-owned by ENAIRE and Indra, aims to enhance air traffic safety and efficiency through global satellite surveillance (ADS-B) and digital communications (VHF) using a constellation of over 200 LEO satellites.
💸 Polish company signs €52M contract with ESA
Creotech Instruments has secured a €52M contract with ESA to develop the 'Camila' Earth observation satellite constellation. The project includes three satellites and a ground segment for control and data processing. Creotech will receive €25.6M, with the rest going to subcontractors. The deal, the largest between ESA and a Polish entity, will support agriculture, forest monitoring, and emergency response. The project runs until December 2027.
🚨 Slingshot detects activity in orbit
Slingshot Aerospace detected significant activity from the Chinese TJS-17 satellite in geostationary orbit. The satellite released a secondary object, what seems to be a spent apogee kick motor used for orbital positioning. TJS-17 performed manoeuvres that were observed by Slingshot's Global Sensor Network. The satellite, launched on April 10, 2025, is part of China's military communications technology experimentation, potentially involving electronic intelligence (ELINT) and early warning systems. Watch the video here.
🔍 What caught your eye this week? I (try to) cover the best stories but there’s always more happening. Reply and let me know what space news you found most interesting or what I should cover next! I read all replies.
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🇩🇪 Germany’s own Starlink? The Bundeswehr (German Military) wants its own satellite constellation
You’ve probably seen the news (I shared them yesterday): Germany wants its own Starlink.
The Bundeswehr has confirmed plans to build its own satellite constellation by 2029. Early reports suggest a Starlink-style network of several hundred satellites, with an estimated cost of up to €10 billion. The goal? Secure communications, Earth observation and full national control in orbit.
This is a significant move. Until now, Germany has largely relied on allies (especially the US) for key space capabilities. But with geopolitical uncertainty rising, this is sending a clear message: space autonomy is now a national priority.
Ukraine’s use of Starlink has demonstrated both the power and vulnerability of relying on commercial systems, especially those owned by non-European actors. For Germany, the move is about control. A national constellation would allow the German military to operate independently, without needing to depend on American/external infrastructure or commercial providers.
A political shift?
You might be wondering: wait, but isn’t Europe already working on IRIS²?
Yes… but this would be completely separate. IRIS² is a pan-European project with public-private collaboration and dual-use goals (civil and military). The Bundeswehr (remember: German military) constellation? Purely national. Purely military. Entirely under German command.
And that’s awkward, at least to some.
Could this move signal a growing gap between national priorities and EU-level collaboration? While IRIS² tries to bring the continent together, Germany seems to be quietly saying: “Ok, but I’ll keep my options open.”
It’s easy to see how this excites German industry. Airbus, OHB, and possibly even launch startups like Isar Aerospace (RFA, HyImpulse…) are likely circling the opportunity. But it also raises concerns about duplication, fragmentation and missed chances to pool resources more strategically.
Italy is doing it too
Germany isn’t the only country moving in this direction.
Italy is also pushing ahead with plans for a national constellation of roughly 100 satellites, with a feasibility study already moving into Phase 2. And the idea is similar: a secure, interoperable system that might one day also serve European allies. In other words: another “national” constellation, separate from IRIS².
Together, these national efforts suggest a shift: while IRIS² remains the flagship European broadband constellation project, individual countries are increasingly pursuing their own secure, military-grade alternatives.
A strategic opportunity?
There are upsides to sovereign infrastructure, especially in defence (as we have seen recently). And there’s a case to be made for having redundancy in orbit. But the trend toward fragmentation could end up slowing Europe down at exactly the moment when speed and cohesion are most needed.
Meanwhile, no details have been shared about who will build or launch these satellites. But it wouldn’t be surprising if Germany also uses this as a chance to boost its own industrial base (including its emerging launch sector as we mentioned).
Some say this is about more than just satellites, but about who gets the contracts, who sets the rules, and how Europe balances national interests with collective power.
One thing is clear: the space race is no longer just global. It’s increasingly intra-European too.
Whether this will lead to stronger collaboration or more fragmentation remains to be seen. But the message is clear: Europe is no longer treating space as a passive domain. It’s becoming infrastructure. And Germany wants to own a piece of it.
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Jaime