From Berlin into space

Berlin, 18 March 2024 – Looking into space from Berlin – is that possible? The broad-based space industry in the capital region makes it possible. In addition to major global companies such as Airbus Defence & Space and established medium-sized companies such as Astro- und Feinwerktechnik, a dynamic start-up scene and educational institutions such as the Technische Universität Berlin are ensuring that Berlin has a promising view in orbit. So promising that the region is increasingly developing into a serious counterpart to the German “space regions” of Munich and Bremen. 

The continuous and successful development of Berlin’s space industry is based above all on the good co-operation between industry and research. As part of highly innovative networks, the stakeholders involved benefit from exchange, knowledge transfer and cooperative interaction.

Renowned Berlin educational institutions, among others, are laying the foundation for this by ensuring and promoting the training of and collaboration with future specialists. For example, the Technische Universität Berlin launched satellites numbers 28 and 29 just a few weeks ago. This makes the university the educational institution with the largest number of satellites developed and put into orbit in the world. From the winter semester 2024, students at Charité Berlin will also be able to enrol in the new international Master’s degree programme in Space Medicine.

Another focus of Berlin’s “space business”: the processing of satellite data by companies like LiveEO or Planet Labs. These use satellite data to monitor the infrastructure of power lines or railway lines or to observe and document environmental changes caused by climate change. But it doesn’t stop there: In the case of the start-up Neurospace, Berlin is even aiming to reach the moon. The company is developing a lunar rover that will explore the celestial body on future missions.

The following companies represent a small but representative selection of Berlin’s “space business”:

• LiveEO | Enterprise-Ready Insights from Satellite Data at Scale (live-eo.com)
• Space Structures GmbH . Competence in space product development structure/thermal, CAD design, FEM- and thermal analysis
• Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Airbus Space
• Home - Reflex Aerospace
• LAUNCH SERVICES for Small Satellites and CubeSats (exolaunch.com)
• Homepage - Astrofein
• Berlin Space Technologies (berlin-space-tech.com)
• EnduroSat - Class-leading CubeSat Modules, NanoSats & Space Services
• Home | NEUROSPACE (neuro-space.de)
• Home (azimutspace.com)
• Company | Planet

Our recommendation: To ensure that companies like these, as well as numerous other stakeholders in Berlin’s space industry, continue to exchange ideas, the Transport, Mobility and Logistics Cluster, which is part of the innovation strategy of the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, is organising a public working meeting on the topic of “Berlin in space” on 19 March 2024 from 14:00 to 18:00. The organisers and participants will gain an overview of the space stakeholders in the region as well as their projects, plans and potential challenges. The aim of the subsequent discussion with representatives from industry and science is to develop a common vision for the regional space industry. Further information and the agenda can be found directly on the website of the cluster.