German satellite manufacturer Reflex Aerospace has raised €50 million in a record-breaking Series A round, marking the largest Series A investment in the history of Europe’s New Space sector.
The round was led by Human Element, with participation from Alpine Space Ventures, Bayern Kapital, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and additional German and European investors.
The new funding will accelerate the development, production, and deployment of Reflex’s next-generation satellite constellations, designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and secure communications. The company’s capabilities include Optical, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Signal Intelligence (SIGINT), and Space Domain Awareness (SDA) systems—key technologies for Europe’s strategic autonomy.
Reflex plans to expand its manufacturing operations in Bavaria and aims to have all major capabilities operational and demonstrated in orbit by 2027.
“Europe cannot afford to remain dependent on external actors for space-based intelligence,” said Walter Ballheimer, CEO and Co-founder of Reflex Aerospace. “We are investing our own capital, working with top-tier partners, and acting decisively—because in today’s geopolitical climate, time is of the essence.”
A new era for European strategic autonomy
The funding comes amid a historic shift in Europe’s defense and intelligence landscape. With the EU’s European Space Shield Initiative launching in 2026 and Germany committing €35 billion to space defense projects through 2030, Reflex’s mission aligns with growing demand for independent, resilient satellite infrastructure.
“Satellite networks are the Achilles heel of modern societies,” German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in a recent statement—highlighting the urgency for sovereign capabilities across Europe.
Reflex Aerospace aims to close these gaps by providing faster, more flexible, and sovereign ISR systems, reducing Europe’s reliance on external providers for critical geospatial intelligence.
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Manufacturing the next generation of defense satellites
“While Europe rebuilds its sovereign defense capabilities, Reflex is redefining how satellites are built,” said Christian Sullivan, Managing Partner at Human Element. “Their payload-centric design and agile manufacturing approach eliminate the need for megafactories—enabling rapid deployment and adaptability for ISR missions.”
Reflex’s first remote sensing satellite was launched in January 2025, marking a key milestone in its mission to modernize satellite production. Its Praetora platform architecture—built for rapid design, modular integration, and full European supply chain control—forms the backbone of upcoming ISR and communications constellations.
Scaling sovereign space infrastructure
By combining payload-driven engineering, in-house production, and European command control, Reflex is helping secure the continent’s position in the rapidly evolving global space economy.
“We’re building the infrastructure that ensures Europe’s freedom to act in orbit,” added Ballheimer. “This is not just about technology—it’s about sovereignty, security, and the future of European resilience.”
About Reflex Aerospace
Founded in Berlin and Munich, Reflex Aerospace designs and manufactures high-performance, payload-specific satellite platforms for commercial and defense applications. Focused on speed, flexibility, and sovereign control, Reflex applies modern manufacturing and design techniques to accelerate Europe’s access to independent space infrastructure—empowering the continent’s next generation of intelligence and communication capabilities.
