- Partnership will harness AI-driven capabilities to deliver real-time intelligence and situational awareness
- System is designed for critical missions such as border surveillance or troop movement tracking
- Partnership is a testament to Europe’s capacity to innovate and lead in the defence space
Paris/Toulouse, February 11th, 2025 — Helsing, the leading European defence technology company, and Loft Orbital, a pioneer in satellite infrastructure, announced today a strategic partnership to jointly develop and deploy a cutting-edge multi-sensor satellite constellation.
This partnership will harness AI-driven capabilities to deliver real-time intelligence and situational awareness to European defence and security stakeholders. The system is designed for critical missions such as border surveillance, troop movement tracking, and infrastructure protection, ensuring European forces maintain a decisive edge in any operational environment.
The constellation will consist of multiple Loft satellites carrying state-of-the-art multi-sensor payloads, including a comprehensive suite of cameras and RF sensors. These payloads will leverage Helsing’s on-orbit AI processing to detect, identify, and classify military assets worldwide from Low Earth Orbit in real-time. With high reactivity, short revisit periods, and low-latency data processing, this constellation will allow for tactical decision-making and rapid response capabilities.
A Ground-breaking Approach to Tactical Decision-Making
Unlike traditional satellite intelligence systems that rely on post-mission data processing, this constellation will deliver immediate insights through onboard AI processing. High revisit rates will ensure continuous monitoring of key areas, while short response times and real-time alerts will give military decision-makers an operational advantage.
“This partnership is a testament to Europe’s capacity to innovate and lead in the defence space,” said Pierre-Damien Vaujour, CEO of Loft. “Together with Helsing, we’re creating a capability that will provide European governmental, defence and security actors with faster, more reliable intelligence, enabling them to act decisively in any situation.”
Dr. Gundbert Scherf, co-founder of Helsing, said: “Ukraine has shown that the battlefield is getting ever more transparent, and the fusion of AI and satellite-based reconnaissance is key. Loft and Helsing want to build persistent, near-real-time intelligence capabilities for defence customers. Europe needs to have sovereign access to such space assets – and it needs it now. To accelerate this, both companies are investing their own capital.”
Marc Fontaine, president of Helsing France added: “This partnership combines New Space with New Defence approaches: providing swiftly, self-funded and “as a service” the new capabilities required to support and complement sovereign operations. By building on our presence in France and across Europe, we help shaping the future of software-defined space systems.”
With satellite buses already under production and launch slots already secured, the satellites will be launched in 2026.
For more information contact:
René Gribnitz
Director of Communications
Tel: +4915157929284
E-mail: rene.gribnitz@helsing.ai
