More competition in space - Helsing enters the satellite business

Berlin, Düsseldorf. The Bundeswehr's investment offensive is forcing competition in the space-based defence systems business. After the Düsseldorf-based defence group Rheinmetall secured a billion-euro contract from the German armed forces to build a satellite system, the Munich-based defence start-up Helsing is now also tapping into space as a new business area.

This Wednesday, the defence company announced its intention to build a satellite constellation together with the Norwegian state-owned defence company Kongsberg by 2029. This is a network of satellites in low orbit that will carry out reconnaissance from space using various sensors. The President of Kongsberg's defence business, Eirik Lie, spoke of 75 to 100 satellites that would form part of a constellation.

Helsing CEO Gundbert Scherf said: "We will provide key integrated space defence systems to ensure that Europe wins the battle for its sovereignty." The war in Ukraine shows that the most reliable target acquisition begins in space. "Without reconnaissance capabilities in space, Europe cannot defend itself," explained Scherf.

According to the Handelsblatt newspaper, this involves a satellite system for monitoring northern Europe, which is being set up in cooperation between the Bundeswehr and the Norwegian military. When asked, a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Defence would not provide any further details on possible orders. Over the next five years, the Bundeswehr plans to invest a total of 35 billion euros in space projects. "We assume that we can play a major role in this," said Scherf with regard to possible orders from Germany. There are programmes in which Helsing believes it is the right partner.

"It's about SAR satellites for the so-called 'far north'," said a manager from one of the companies involved. The aim is to monitor the vast expanses of land and water as far as the North Pole by 2029 - from an orbit at an altitude of 350 to 450 kilometres.

The Bavarian defence company Hensoldt is also involved and is supplying radar sensors, optical sensors and components for signal reconnaissance. The German satellite company Isar Aerospace is to put the satellites into orbit. "This is currently still the bottleneck," said company boss Daniel Metzler. So far, Isar Aerospace has not launched a rocket into space.The Munich-based company launched its first Spectrum rocket in March, but it crashed after 30 seconds. Isar Aerospace is currently working on the launch of its second rocket.

On Wednesday, Helsing, Kongsberg, Hensoldt and Isar Aerospace signed a corresponding cooperation agreement to establish a sovereign satellite constellation. At a press conference in Berlin, the representatives of the four new partners repeatedly emphasised that they were open to cooperation with additional players.