Delegates at the signing of the MicroGEO contract

A small but powerful European telecommunications satellite – the first of a series – is to be developed under a contract signed between ESA and SWISSto12, an innovative company based in Renens, Switzerland.

The MicroGEO Partnership Project is part of ESA’s efforts to support fast, dynamic and agile private space firms to foster innovation and promote the competitiveness of the European space industry.

The slimline satellite will be placed into geostationary orbit some 36 000 kilometres above the Earth, from where it will stream data or broadcast television. Measuring just one cubic metre, the MicroGEO satellite will be one tenth the size of conventional geostationary satellites.

Because micro-geostationary satellites are small, lightweight and contain numerous innovations, they are much more affordable to build and launch. This enabled satellite operators to offer tailored regional or gap-filling services that would not be financially viable using large satellites. Micro-geostationary satellites can also offer a competitive replacement option for some legacy geostationary satellites that have reached the end of their lifetime.

SWISSto12 will lead a consortium of European companies with established space technology and heritage. The new MicroGEO Partnership Project, co-funded by ESA, offers an opportunity for high returns on investment to industry and participating states.

The first satellite in this new product range is due for launch in 2025.