Space industry in the Netherlands

SpacePower (ESA)

Noordwijk, Netherlands government

SpacePower, established in 2022 and based in Noordwijk, Netherlands, is an initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA) focused on the development of space-based solar power (SBSP) technology. The company’s core business centers around researching and developing the systems necessary for generating clean energy in space and transmitting it to Earth. This includes all aspects of the value chain, from solar energy collection in orbit to the efficient and safe delivery of power to ground-based receiving stations. Currently, SpacePower’s activities are primarily focused on research and development, specifically investigating the feasibility and optimal methods for wireless power transmission from space. While specific technological details are not publicly available, the initiative inherently requires advancements in high-efficiency solar cell technology suited for the space environment, large-scale space infrastructure deployment, and innovative radio frequency or microwave power transmission systems. As a direct initiative of ESA, SpacePower benefits from the agency’s extensive expertise in space engineering and access to testing facilities. While specific missions or customer details are not currently publicized, the long-term goal is to demonstrate the viability of SBSP as a sustainable energy source for Europe and potentially globally. SpacePower’s unique value proposition lies in its potential to provide a continuous, clean, and abundant energy source, independent of weather conditions or geographical limitations. By leveraging space-based infrastructure, the initiative aims to address growing energy demands and contribute to climate change mitigation efforts, positioning ESA at the forefront of a potentially revolutionary energy technology.

Karman+

Amsterdam, Netherlands commercial

Karman+ is an asteroid prospecting and resource extraction startup with operations in Amsterdam and Denver, founded in 2021 by Teun van den Dries. The company is developing small spacecraft designed to rendezvous with near-Earth asteroids and extract water ice and volatiles for use as in-space propellant, fundamentally aiming to create a propellant-supply economy for cislunar and deeper-space missions. Karman+ has announced pre-Series A funding rounds led by investors focused on deep-tech and space resources, and has publicly targeted a prospecting demonstration mission later in the 2020s. The company's approach differs from earlier asteroid-mining entrants (Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries) in its focus on near-term commercial propellant rather than precious metals, and on the sustainability of using space resources rather than launching everything from Earth. The broader market thesis tracks with NASA's Artemis architecture and an emerging cislunar economy that requires refueling services. Karman+ joins a small cohort of active asteroid resource companies including AstroForge, TransAstra, and Cosmic Shielding.

Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands

Leiden, Netherlands commercial

Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands, located in Leiden, Netherlands, is a division of Airbus focused on the design and manufacturing of satellite components. Specifically, the company builds solar arrays for satellites, a critical element in providing power for space-based operations. As part of the larger Airbus Defence and Space business, it contributes to a broad portfolio encompassing satellites, launchers, and related space systems. Airbus is currently consolidating its space activities with Leonardo and Thales, aiming to establish a new European leader in the space sector. This suggests a strategic focus on strengthening its position within the European space industry. Airbus as a whole reports significant financial results, with a focus on expanding industrial capacity and navigating a complex operating environment. While specific customer details for the Netherlands division are not publicly available in the provided information, Airbus’ broader activities support critical missions and serve a diverse range of applications, including defense, security, and scientific research.

Arceon

Delft, Netherlands commercial

Arceon is a Dutch advanced materials company based in the Netherlands, operating out of the ESA space cluster in the Noordwijk area, that produces Carbeon — a proprietary silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix ceramic matrix composite (SiCf/SiCm CMC) capable of maintaining structural integrity at temperatures up to 1600°C, with excellent oxidation resistance and low density compared to refractory metals. Ceramic matrix composites represent the materials frontier for extreme-temperature aerospace applications: unlike ablative thermal protection systems (PICA, AVCOAT) that erode on each reentry and require replacement, structural CMC components are designed to be reusable — a critical advantage for the reusable launch vehicle era. Arceon's Carbeon targets applications including reentry heat shields for capsules and lifting bodies, rocket nozzle extensions and combustion chamber inserts (replacing ablative carbon-carbon or tungsten), hypersonic vehicle leading edges and control surfaces, and high-temperature structural brackets in satellite propulsion systems. Arceon graduated from the ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) at ESTEC in Noordwijk in 2023 — co-located with Europe's main space engineering campus — providing access to ESA's materials testing facilities, European space prime contractor networks, and ESA's TRL maturation funding. Validation of Carbeon in space environments progressed significantly when samples were sent to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX CRS-31 (the 31st Commercial Resupply Services mission), exposing the material to microgravity, vacuum, atomic oxygen, and thermal cycling conditions that simulate orbital reentry stresses before qualification for flight hardware. The Dutch deep-tech ecosystem — Delft University of Technology's materials science programs, NL Space Office funding instruments, and proximity to Airbus Defence and Space, RUAG, and other European space prime suppliers — supports Arceon's development path. Primary competitors include Safran/Herakles (CMC for Ariane 6 nozzle extensions), Albany Engineered Composites (US carbon-carbon and CMC), SGL Carbon, and established refractory ceramic manufacturers like CoorsTek for niche structural applications in rocket propulsion.

Bradford Space is a Netherlands-based space company headquartered in Heerle that develops green propulsion systems and complete satellite platforms. The company's ECAPS (Ecological Advanced Propulsion Systems) division produces HPGP (High Performance Green Propulsion) thrusters using the AF-M315E propellant — a high-performance "green" hydrazine replacement developed by AFRL that has higher specific impulse and is less toxic than hydrazine, qualifying for non-SCAPE (Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble) handling. Bradford Space also absorbed Deep Space Industries' propulsion line (Comet water thrusters) through its 2019 acquisition, and manufactures the XACT reaction wheel attitude control system product line. The company serves commercial satellite manufacturers, national space agencies, and defense customers seeking safer propellants without sacrificing mission performance.

Hiber

Amsterdam, Netherlands commercial

Hiber, headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands and founded in 2016, is a Dutch satellite IoT connectivity company operating a low Earth orbit constellation of nanosatellites designed to provide affordable, global, low-power IoT communications for industries that deploy sensors and monitoring equipment in remote locations beyond the reach of cellular or terrestrial internet infrastructure. Hiber's satellite network operates in UHF frequency bands, enabling extremely small, inexpensive, low-power satellite-connected modems (the HiberHilo modem) that can run on coin cell batteries or small solar panels for months to years without maintenance — making them suitable for deployment by companies that cannot afford expensive satellite service contracts or specialized satellite hardware. The system works on a store-and-forward basis: Hiber's satellites (HiberOne, HiberTwo, and subsequent generations) fly in LEO and collect uplinked data messages from deployed modems as they pass overhead, then relay collected messages to ground stations for delivery to customer applications via API. Pass intervals for a given location depend on satellite count and inclination, typically ranging from several times per day to every few hours. Hiber's primary target markets include precision agriculture (soil moisture sensors, water flow monitors, crop weather stations in fields without cellular coverage), oil and gas pipeline monitoring (pressure, temperature, and flow sensors along pipelines traversing remote terrain), environmental monitoring (flood gauges, groundwater level sensors, wildlife tracking in national parks), and logistics (asset tracking for containers and vehicles in ports, mines, and remote sites). The company specifically targets 'last kilometer' IoT — the global installed base of industrial and agricultural monitoring equipment that exists in locations where cellular IoT (NB-IoT, LTE-M) coverage is unavailable. Hiber has received investment from the Dutch national growth fund (RVO) and private investors, and has secured commercial agreements with agricultural IoT platform providers and energy sector customers in Europe, North America, and Asia. Competitors include Swarm Technologies (acquired by SpaceX), Lacuna Space, and Sateliot for low-power satellite IoT.