Joint venture with ICEYE for satellite production
Defence manufacturer and automotive supplier Rheinmetall and satellite manufacturer ICEYE intend to establish a new joint venture for satellite production. The two companies signed a letter of intent on May 8, 2025, as Rheinmetall and ICEYE announced.
The press release was published on Rheinmetall's website in German and on ICEYE's website in English. According to the press release, the joint venture will be called Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions. Rheinmetall will hold 60 percent of the shares in the company. ICEYE will hold 40 percent of the shares. However, the formation is still subject to final agreements and official approvals.
Production in Germany
According to the two partners, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions will become part of a Rheinmetall Space Cluster and produce satellites in Germany. The Neuss site, among others, will be used for this purpose. Production is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
According to the press release, the new company will then start manufacturing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. In the future, other space solutions will also be produced.
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, says of the partnership with ICEYE: "With the establishment of this new joint venture, we are making further inroads into the space domain." Rheinmetall is thus not only responding to the increased demand for space-based reconnaissance capabilities among armed and security forces worldwide, but also contributing to the preservation and expansion of Germany as a technology hub.