Overview
- The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to merge satellite manufacturing and space services under a new entity headquartered in France.
- Ownership is set at 35% for Airbus and 32.5% each for Thales and Leonardo, with a workforce of about 25,000 based on pro-forma 2024 figures.
- The venture would unite Airbus Space Systems and Space Digital with Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio and other activities, while explicitly excluding launch vehicles.
- The partners target operational status by 2027, citing mid–triple‑digit million‑euro annual synergies within five years and roughly €6.5 billion in revenue with a multi‑year backlog.
- Reuters reports insiders value the tie‑up at about $7 billion and note the move responds to SpaceX’s dominance, China’s emerging constellations and Europe’s sovereignty goals, as smaller rival OHB signals a potential regulatory challenge.