German-American Partnership to Develop Intelligence Satellite for Europe

German startup Reflex Aerospace and American company Umbra plan to develop an intelligence satellite for European clients.

The Hartpunkt media reported on this.

The developed satellite is expected to be used for radar reconnaissance based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology and will be made available to European customers.

The work distribution for the project will be structured so that the American company Umbra will take responsibility for developing radar reconnaissance systems designed explicitly for satellite deployment.

Meanwhile, Reflex Aerospace will be responsible for manufacturing the satellite itself and integrating the American systems into it.

As noted by the company, due to the significant increase in global demand for reconnaissance satellites, they plan to launch the first intelligence satellite into orbit in 2027.

The two partners aim to jointly integrate satellites into low Earth orbit in Germany and ensure an independent, stable, and Europe-focused supply chain.

“Until now, the options available to European clients for radar reconnaissance satellites have been extremely limited. With this partnership, we are creating a new solution of unprecedented quality,” Walter Ballheimer, CEO of Reflex Aerospace, reported.

Both companies will work closely together to provide European countries with a reliable means of monitoring NATO’s eastern flank.

As Ballheimer explained, all of his company’s satellites are designed to be launched into space from Europe using micro-launch systems, which are currently under development.

Militarnyi previously reported that starting in 2026, Ukraine will develop satellites for defense purposes in collaboration with partner countries. The Ministry of Defense’s roadmap spans a 10-year period.