LEO TO VELO - successful signature

Astrosysteme celebrates successful signature of CAT-B LEO2VLEO contract with EDA

Astrosysteme is proud to announce its participation in the newly signed CAT-B LEO2VLEO satellite constellation contract, formalized on June 30, 2025, between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and ISISPACE. This landmark agreement marks a pivotal moment in Europe’s pursuit of sovereign space-based capabilities in the Low Earth Orbit to Very Low Earth Orbit (LEO2VLEO) domain.

The LEO2VLEO optical payload is ASA’s first, fully space-based optical telescope design, developed from ground up for this mission. Featuring a compact, athermal, f5.6 RC-design, the telescope delivers multispectral images from a sun-synchronous orbit at altitudes between 300km to 500km, with a ground resolution of up to 1.8m, despite its small aperture size of only 98mm.

Under this European collaborative defence initiative, Astrosysteme will contribute its high-precision optical payload systems and mission support, supporting ISISPACE in the design, development, and deployment of a next-generation constellation of Earth observation satellites. These assets are expected to significantly enhance persistent surveillance, situational awareness, and rapid response capabilities across Europe.

The CAT-B contract is part of EDA’s broader ambition to reinforce European defence through space innovation and industrial cooperation. It reflects a strategic shift toward leveraging Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) for defense applications—offering benefits in image resolution, latency, and revisit rates compared to traditional orbits.

We are honored to be part of this transformative program alongside other key European partners. The LEO2VLEO project underscores the importance of resilient, responsive space systems, and Astrosysteme is proud to bring its optical and engineering expertise to the forefront of European security.

The LEO2VLEO initiative is expected to deliver its first demonstration launches within the next two years, with operational capability targeted for the latter half of the decade.

For more information about the LEO2VLEO contract and EDA’s strategic goals, visit the official announcement:

LEO2VLEO - official announcement

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