A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches an Airbus-built SpainSat satellite in January. [Courtesy: Airbus]
Key Takeaways:
Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo have formed a new joint venture to consolidate their satellite manufacturing and space services businesses.
This collaboration aims to enhance European autonomy in the strategic space domain and directly challenge SpaceX's significant market dominance.
Expected to be operational by 2027, the venture will focus on systems and services but explicitly excludes launch activities, which remain a separate area for European competitiveness.
A trio of European aerospace companies are pooling their resources in a bid to eat at SpaceX’s share of the commercial space industry.
Last week, Airbus joined forces with France’s Thales and Italy’s Leonardo to create an as-yet unnamed joint venture, combining the firms’ satellite manufacturing and space systems, components, and services businesses.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
