Astronomy Prints 🌌: Exolaunch and SEOPS announce dedicated rideshare missions

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Exolaunch and SEOPS announce dedicated rideshare missions - SmallSat Europe 2026

SpaceNews coverage from SmallSat Europe in Amsterdam

05/26/2026 | READ IN BROWSER

The latest reporting from SmallSat Europe in Amsterdam.

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This week, SpaceNews reporters are covering the latest news on the European space sector at the SmallSat Europe conference in Amsterdam.

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Exolaunch and SEOPS purchase Falcon 9 launches for dedicated rideshare missions

By Jeff Foust

Two companies best known for brokering payload space on SpaceX rideshare launches have each purchased Falcon 9 launches to meet the growing demand for such missions.

In separate announcements May 26 during the SmallSat Europe conference, Germany-based Exolaunch announced it purchased two Falcon 9 launches, while U.S.-based SEOPS announced it purchased one Falcon 9 launch, all for carrying rideshare payloads.

Exolaunch said its Exo-1 and Exo-2 missions are scheduled for launch no earlier than late 2027 and 2028, respectively, while SEOPS is planning a launch of its Waymaker-1 mission in the third quarter of 2028.

European imaging companies step in to fill warzone gap

As American satellite imagery companies have pulled back from sharing visuals of Iran and the broader area around the Gulf conflict, European Earth observation firms are moving to fill the vacuum.

Regulations and access to capital continue to hinder Europe’s smallsat industry

Burdensome regulations and limited access to capital continue to drag on Europe’s smallsat sector despite proposed new legislation and an influx of defense spending, industry and government officials said during a conference panel. They discussed how long-running concerns about fragmented markets and bureaucracy continue to challenge Europe even as companies and markets elsewhere grow.

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Orbit Fab, Thales Alenia to study refueling for electric-propulsion satellites

Orbit Fab and Thales Alenia Space will work on a project backed by the U.K. Space Agency to study whether satellites using electric propulsion systems can be refueled in orbit, part of a broader push in Europe toward satellite servicing and reusable spacecraft infrastructure.

Creotech plans $118 million capital raise, investment in new satellite factory

Polish space technology company Creotech Instruments has announced plans for a $118 million fundraise that will allow the company to open a new satellite production facility in Poland by 2029 as part of a new long term development strategy. The company hopes to quadruple its manufacturing capacities to around 40 satellites annually by then.

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