The German defense company Rheinmetall is expanding its product range and is taking the space sector seriously, planning to produce satellites in cooperation with ICEYE.
The two companies have signed a memorandum to establish a joint venture that will assemble remote sensing satellites equipped with SAR technology.
Read more: russians Replace S-300, S-400 Air Defense Systems in the Far East with Dummies
These are the same type of satellites, one of which was purchased for Ukraine with funds raised by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation. In the summer of 2022, Ukrainians raised over UAH 600 million (about $16 million) to purchase three Bayraktar TB2 drones, but Turkish manufacturer Baykar ultimately delivered them free of charge.
The SAR satellites will be assembled in Germany at a facility to be owned 60% by Rheinmetall and 40% by ICEYE. The plant will be located in Neuss in western Germany and is expected to start operating in the second quarter of 2026.
It is worth noting that Neuss is also home to Pierburg GmbH, a Rheinmetall company within the Power Systems cluster, traditionally focused on components for the automotive industry. The company specializes in emission control systems, air supply, and throttle bodies, and has recently ventured into hydrogen energy — and now, it seems, into space.
Rheinmetall’s focus on space was clearly explained by its CEO, Armin Papperger, who described it as a response to the growing global demand for satellite-based intelligence. Such an association also meets the interests of ICEYE, which declares its desire to become a leading provider of such services.
It is worth recalling that satellites with SAR technology have a certain advantage over optical satellites. In particular, they can capture images at any time of day and through any weather conditions, including cloud cover.
Read more: Advanced 400-km Strike Drone from Switchblade Creators May Already Be in Ukraine
