2022-09-20_BST_Press_Release_LEOS-100 2022-09-12_Press_Release_BST_EU_factory

Berlin Space Technologies (BST) underscores its leadership with European satellite factory.

Berlin, Paris, Ahmedabad: On the occasion of the World Business Week, Berlin Space Technologies GmbH (BST) comes out of stealth with the announcement of its new satellite factory in Germany.

The factory located in Berlin is already the 2^nd one that Berlin Space Technologies has built. It will focus on the mass manufacturing of satellites with masses of >200-500kg, a class of satellites that is in hot pursuit by both commercial and institutional users in Europe.

Drawing on the experience from our 1^st factory in Ahmedabad, India (Azista BST Aerospace Pvt. Ltd.) which is committed towards 50-150kg platforms and is already producing hardware today, BST vows to achieve initial operational capacity for its new European factory until mid-2023 and ramp up to intermediate production capability of 200+ mid-sized satellites per annum, 12 months later.

The unique and proven technologies using automation and parallelisation for mass manufacturing that BST has developed since 2014, as well as the size and location of the factory enable to scale annual production to thousands of units.

The new factory is co-located with our headquarter in Berlin. It will complement our existing vertical integrated design and manufacturing capabilities and our flight proven LEOS platform.

That means that in addition to the bespoke systems which we design and produce in for our global customers today, our German made products will very soon be available for the great multitude.

Speed and Experience are key for Europe to achieve leadership in the Henry Ford moment

“Europe came late to the game of implementing mega constellations”, explains Tom Segert, CEO of BST. “In fact, until the Secure Connectivity Initiative announced by commissioner Breton in 2021 space in Europe was often limited to expensive large satellites produced in low numbers. To regain global leadership Europe should build on its strong points by utilizing already existing technology and thus drawing on companies such as BST who already implemented satellite mass manufacturing”

“For our class of satellites (50-500kg) nobody in the EU has the same level of vertical integration, from satellite equipment to ground support hardware” says Matthias Buhl CTO of BST. “And vertical integration is the key to cost reduction” adds Björn Danziger COO.

“We believe that the space industry is moving towards the point where its broad utilisation becomes the new normal” elaborates Sunil Indurti, Director Azista BST Aerospace (ABA). “The new European factory of BST complements our own activities, it will create access to new markets and enable new opportunities for strategic collaboration between India and Europe” he said.

“In the last 10 years BST sold more satellites (50+kg) that were designed and built in Germany to commercial customers than anybody else. In fact, when you are talking about commercial satellites larger than a Cubesat made in Germany you are talking about BST. With our technology, our heritage and our factories there is no-one better placed than us to manufacture high fidelity micro and mini satellites at the most competitive prices” concludes Dr. Farid Gamgami, CSO of BST

About Berlin Space Technologies GmbH

Berlin Space Technologies GmbH (BST) is an internationally recognized leader in technologies for mass manufacturing of small satellite systems since 2014 and draws on the experience of the 30-year tradition of building small satellites in Berlin. BST is bootstrapped and 100% owned by its three founders, Matthias Buhl (CTO), Björn Danziger (COO) and Tom Segert (CEO). BST is vertically integrated. It designs and builds its systems and all key subsystems as well as all ground support hardware in house. In addition to its leadership in commercial satellites made in Germany, BST has delivered hundred of satellite subsystems to international missions in the last decade. In 2019, together with its partners from Azista Aerospace pvt., BST has formed a joint venture to mass manufacture satellites in the 50-150kg class. This JV is called Azista BST Aerospace the new factory complements the JV activities and extends activities towards European markets and larger, more powerful satellites (>200-500kg class).

About Azista BST Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. 

Azista BST Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. is a joint venture between Azista Industries Pvt. Ltd. and Berlin Space Technologies GmbH. Seventy percent of the shares of ABA are held by Azista, the remainder by BST. ABA owns and operates a factory in Ahmedabad, India, that is utilizing both Azista and BST IP to manufacture small satellites 100% domestically in India for the global market. In early 2022, the Ahmedabad factory started producing the flight proven LEOS platform developed by BST. ABA’s annual production capacity of 250+ satellites makes it one of the largest satellite factories globally.