European security agency inks VLEO satellite pact with industrial consortium
NewsMarch 16, 2026
BRUSSELS. The European Defence Agency (EDA) signed a 15.65 million euro ($17.96 million) research contract with an industry consortium to explore the Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) region in space.
The VLEO-DEF research and technology project -- funded by the EDA's five member states -- is set to design the first European military satellite concept specifically for VLEO, an orbital region roughly 250 to 350 kilometers (roughly 155 to 217 miles) above Earth.
The EDA announcement states that while satellites orbiting hundreds of kilometrers above the earth's surface already underpin modern defense systems, EDA now wants to bring satellite observation even closer to the planet, which will enable the satellites to capture far more detailed images, a key advantage for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and also enabling faster delivery of information to military commanders.
The project -- led by the Spanish aerospace engineering company SENER and cosigned by a consortium of 17 industrial and research organizations from EDA member countries Spain, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Slovenia -- is slated to run for three years.
