A new European megafactory to produce 500 satellites yearly
Aerospacelab has unveiled its satellite megafactory commitment, with a yearly production capacity of 500 satellites, making it effectively the largest satellite manufacturing plant in Europe.
This new site – which will be built by Sambrinvest in Charleroi – follows the launch of its Monnet Center facility, located in Ottignies-Louvain-La-Neuve, which can produce up to 24 satellites a year, a press release reads.
The team is closely involved in satellite design, prototyping, and hardware testing, producing satellites and constellations for a range of applications.
Propelled by its EUR 40 million Series B fundraise back in February 2022, the company is already ramping up satellite production capacity, deploying multiple constellations to establish same-day monitoring of the Earth’s surface, and implementing Aerospacelab’s geospatial data fusion analytics capabilities.
The first satellites will roll off the assembly line at Aerospacelab’s new megafactory by the beginning of 2025.
“We’ve been inspired by the automotive industry where standardised products still have the possibility to be customised for specific needs. We are establishing satellite manufacturing plants, complete with production lines utilising ‘off-the-shelf’ components. Both at the factory in Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve and at the megafactory in Charleroi, we own and operate all the testing facilities relevant for satellite manufacturing, which promotes the vertical integration that gives us the edge in agility. Ultimately, we are striving to make the ‘Henry Ford moment’ in satellite manufacturing happen,” Benoît Deper, CEO and founder of Aerospacelab, explains in the press release.
According to Euroconsult, by 2030 over 1700 satellites every year worldwide are expected to be launched.
