Planet Labs Inaugurates New Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Berlin
Berlin, September 22, 2026 – Planet Labs GmbH, the German subsidiary of the renowned US space company, officially inaugurated its new satellite manufacturing facility in Berlin today. This significant development comes less than a year after the initial announcement, with the company having successfully completed the handover of the facility and the establishment of its cleanrooms.
Production of Planet’s 300 kg class Pelican satellites, which offer 30 cm resolution, is slated to commence this autumn. Martin Polak, Managing Director of Planet Labs Germany, confirmed in an interview with hartpunkt that the first satellite is expected to be completed before the end of the year. This satellite will then be launched into orbit next year with Isar Aerospace’s fourth Spectrum rocket.
Scaling Up Production and Expanding Workforce
The Berlin facility is designed to scale its production capacity to an impressive 60 satellites per year. Polak further elaborated on plans to employ approximately 70 additional staff in production, supplementing the current 150 employees at Planet Labs in Germany. These satellites will cater to the international market, with future team leaders for the new production line currently being trained by their US counterparts.
Polak emphasized the critical need for Europe to possess rapid, independent access to sovereign space observation capabilities. This, he stated, is essential for navigating an increasingly complex security and economic landscape effectively.
Sovereign Satellite Services and Rapid Deployment
Beyond manufacturing, Planet also provides sovereign satellite services to various countries, boasting the capability to rapidly deploy these satellites into orbit. As an example, Planet secured a German-funded contract to deliver dedicated satellite capacities in support of peace and security in Europe, which was implemented within two months of contract signing.
In Sweden, the first sovereign satellite was launched into space within four months, accelerating the program by four years. According to Polak, this satellite is now under Swedish ownership and control.
Will Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Planet, highlighted the company’s extensive experience: “In 15 years, Planet has built and successfully launched 688 satellites, ranking second globally in terms of total satellites – and we are now bringing this manufacturing expertise here.”
Katherina Reiche, Minister of Economics, remarked, “Planet’s investment in Berlin is more than just a vote of confidence in the city: it helps to translate Europe’s aspiration for sovereign access to space-based information into operational reality.”
A Hub for European Space Technology
The 5,700 square meter facility, featuring over 2,000 square meters of cleanroom space, is poised to be a cornerstone of Planet’s contribution to Europe’s technological advancement in space. It will address the region’s growing demand for local, resilient innovation in aerospace and defense solutions. Berlin has served as Planet’s European base for over a decade, functioning as a vital technical hub with a mission control center that coordinates Planet’s global fleet of hundreds of satellites, alongside departments for software development, image processing, and quality control.
In addition to satellite production, the new facility will house other corporate functions, including mission operations, IT, legal, marketing, human resources, and sales. This integrated approach allows for satellites to be built, tested, and delivered from a single location.
Planet maintains a robust and expanding presence in Europe, where 30 percent of its global workforce is based. The company operates offices in Berlin, Haarlem, Ljubljana, Graz, and London, with Berlin serving as its primary European hub. Planet’s ground stations in Germany, the UK, Norway, and Iceland receive nearly 50 percent of all global satellite data.
The parent company of the Planet Group is headquartered in San Francisco, USA. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions, developing, building, and operating what it claims to be the largest Earth observation satellite fleet.
Source: https://www.hartpunkt.de/planet-labs-eroeffnet-neue-satellitenfertigung-in-berlin/
