Rheinmetall Partners With ICEYE to Build SAR Satellites for Ukraine

German defense giant Rheinmetall has entered the space sector with plans to produce reconnaissance satellites in partnership with Finnish micro satellite manufacturer ICEYE.

This move follows a memorandum of understanding between the two companies to create a joint venture focused on assembling Earth remote sensing satellites using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, according to a Defense Express report on May 9.

The decision comes in response to the increasing global demand for space exploration. The satellite production facility, located in Neuss, western Germany, will be 60% owned by Rheinmetall and 40% by ICEYE. The plant is scheduled to begin operations in the second quarter of 2026.

These SAR satellites, similar to the ones purchased by Ukraine through the volunteer Serhiy Prytula Foundation, offer critical reconnaissance capabilities.

The foundation previously raised over UAH 600 million to procure three Bayraktar TB2 drones, which were donated by Turkish manufacturer Baykar.

The SAR satellites will provide radar-based imaging of terrain, capable of operating in all weather conditions and at any time of day, offering significant advantages over optical satellites.

The satellite production facility at Neuss represents Rheinmetall’s expanding focus on space technology, a sector that the company’s CEO, Armin Papperger, highlighted as being driven by global demand for space-based services. ICEYE, a key player in the SAR satellite field, has ambitions to become a leading provider of such technology.

In related news, Russia’s Kosmos-2553 military satellite, believed to be linked to the country’s anti-satellite nuclear program, has reportedly gone out of control. The satellite was launched several weeks prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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