IENAI SPACE: Strategic-Technological Analysis

Europe’s ambitions in space are increasingly tied to its ability to innovate at the nanosatellite level. One rising player in this arena is IENAI SPACE, a Spanish deep-tech startup developing miniature electric propulsion systems for small satellites. From its lab in Madrid’s orbit of universities and research centers, IENAI SPACE is pioneering electrospray thruster technology that could redefine in-space mobility for CubeSats and nanosatellites.

The company’s ATHENA thruster – a device the size of a small stack of postcards – promises to give even the tiniest satellites the power to maneuver in orbit efficiently. Equally notable is IENAI’s mission design software, which helps satellite operators optimize low-thrust trajectories. These innovations address a critical strategic need: enabling Europe’s space missions to be more agile and less dependent on non-European technologies.

As the European Union prioritizes strategic autonomy and NATO places new emphasis on the space domain, IENAI SPACE exemplifies the kind of home-grown innovation poised to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in orbit. IENAI SPACE is a deep-tech startup (founded 2019) specializing in miniaturized electric propulsion for small satellites and complementary mission design software. The company’s core technology – the ATHENA electrospray thruster – aligns closely with Europe’s emerging space systems priorities, providing an advanced in-orbit propulsion solution that is developed and manufactured in Europe.

This technology falls under the EU’s critical space and microelectronics categories, leveraging nanotechnology-enabled emitters and ionic liquid propellants. By offering a domestic alternative to foreign thruster suppliers, IENAI contributes to European strategic autonomy, reducing potential dependencies on U.S. or Chinese components in the smallsat supply chain. The firm actively collaborates within European frameworks: it emerged from a Spanish university lab, joined the ESA Business Incubation programme, and secured multiple European Space Agency contracts.