News
March 18, 2026
AALBORG, Denmark. Satellite provider GomSpace will participate in the European Defence Agency’s (EDA’s) recently signed 15.65 million euro ($17.96 million) research contract to develop Europe’s first dedicated very low Earth orbit (VLEO) military satellite concept, as part of the VLEO-DEF consortium.
The company says the contract win is a major milestone for GomSpace as it represents one of the first EDA-funded defense initiatives in which the company is directly involved; GomSpace’s share in the program will be 445,000 euros ($512,333) and is planned to be delivered by the second half of 2028.
The EDA’s overall research and technology project is tasked with designing a satellite optimized for sustained operation in VLEO, an orbit 250 to 350 km (roughly 155 to 217 miles) above Earth, a distance that which offers substantial operational advantages for defense users, including high-resolution Earth observation; reduced signal latency; and enhanced responsiveness for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
The company says that its GomSpace Luxembourg and its Advanced Mission team will be contributing to the VLEO-DEF project in targeted areas.
