Aerospacelab: A New Space Catalyst for European Strategic Autonomy

In the outskirts of Brussels, a young aerospace company is quietly transforming Europe’s access to space. Aerospacelab, founded in 2018 by engineer Benoît Deper, has rapidly emerged as an ambitious satellite manufacturer and Earth observation operator. From a small Belgian startup, it has grown into a key player building high-resolution imaging satellites and operating its own orbital missions. The company’s bold vision – to make access to space simple and affordable – is backed by tangible achievements: multiple satellites already in orbit and a state-of-the-art “megafactory” under construction in Charleroi. Aerospacelab’s swift progress has turned heads in European defense and space circles. By fusing agile New Space practices with European industrial know-how, it is pioneering an indigenous constellation that promises frequent, high-quality geospatial intelligence. This strategic initiative comes at a pivotal moment, as Europe seeks greater autonomy in critical technologies. Aerospacelab’s story is more than a startup’s rise – it offers a glimpse of how Europe can bolster its own security and intelligence capabilities independently. The following analysis explores how this Belgian venture is catalyzing European strategic autonomy in space and what it means for the continent’s defense and resilience. Aerospacelab is a privately held deep-tech scale-up headquartered in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium. Founded in 2018, it specializes in designing, manufacturing, and operating small satellites for Earth observation and communications.