Space startups in France

The directory tracks 5 space companies in France. They work on biosphere, Earth observation, in-space manufacturing, launch and more.

5Tracked
4Active
1Acquired

Updated 27 September 2026 · 1 milestone in the last 90 days · Follow by RSS

Where things stand

As of 27 September 2026

ThrustMe flew the first iodine electric thruster in space in 2020. Its 100th propulsion system reached orbit in June 2025, and in April 2026 it signed contracts to equip 40 Japanese Earth observation satellites. Latitude is building Zephyr, a small launcher, and has turned a former AstraZeneca plant in Reims into a factory for up to 50 rockets a year.

Interstellar Lab grows plants in closed capsules. It won the grand prize in NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge in 2024, and Vast chose its Eden 1.0 capsule for the Haven-1 space station. ArcSpace plans to test electron-beam welding in orbit in 2027. Earthcube became Preligens in 2020 and was bought by Safran in 2024.

Latest milestones

Every dated event from the companies below, newest first, each with its source.

ArcSpace: Closes a €2M seed led by DEPO Ventures to fly a 12 kg electron-beam welding demonstration in 2027Funding 25 August 2026 · source
ThrustMe: Contracts above ten million euros to equip 40 Japanese Earth observation satellitesContract April 2026 · source
Latitude: Converts a former AstraZeneca plant in Reims into a factory for up to 50 rockets a yearCompany July 2025 · source
ThrustMe: 100th propulsion system reaches orbit, 26 units on a single rideshareAchievement 23 June 2025 · source
Latitude: Wins €15M from France 2030 to bring Zephyr turbopump production in-houseFunding June 2025 · source
Interstellar Lab: Vast selects Eden 1.0 plant capsule for the Haven-1 labContract 8 April 2025 · source
Latitude: Fires the Navier engine’s flight-configuration combustion chamber for ten secondsAchievement April 2025 · source
Latitude: Books at least five Zephyr launches a year for ATMOS Space Cargo from 2028Contract November 2024 · source
Earthcube: Safran completes its acquisition, folding the company into Safran.AICompany September 2024 · source
Interstellar Lab: Wins $750,000 grand prize in NASA Deep Space Food ChallengeFunding 19 August 2024 · source
Show 8 earlier milestones
Latitude: Raises a $30M Series B to build the first Zephyr and its assembly lineFunding January 2024 · source
Interstellar Lab: Robertet buys the first BioPod sold to an industrial customerContract 28 September 2023 · source
ThrustMe: NPT30 launches on Norway's NorSat-TD for collision avoidance demonstrationsAchievement April 2023 · source
Latitude: Venture Orbital Systems renames itself Latitude alongside a €10M Series ACompany June 2022 · source
Interstellar Lab: Raises $5 million seed round to scale BioPod manufacturingFunding 7 March 2022 · source
Interstellar Lab: BioPod closed-loop growth system unveiledProduct January 2021 · source
ThrustMe: NPT30 fires in orbit, the first iodine electric propulsion flown in spaceAchievement 28 December 2020 · source
Earthcube: Raises a EUR 20M Series A led by Ace Management and Definvest, rebranding as PreligensFunding November 2020 · source

Recently added

ArcSpace

Electron-beam welding in orbit

In-Space Manufacturing · France · est. 2022 · Seed

All 5 companies

Companies still operating first, then by latest news.

ArcSpace

Electron-beam welding in orbit

In-Space Manufacturing · France · est. 2022 · SeedThrustMe

Iodine electric propulsion

Propulsion · France · est. 2017Latitude

Zephyr, the dedicated small launcher

Launch · France · est. 2019 · Series BInterstellar Lab

Plant habitats for space and Earth

Biosphere · France · est. 2018 · SeedEarthcube Acquired

Monitoring solutions powered by automation

Earth Observation · France · est. 2016 · Seed

How many space startups are there in France?

Space Bandits tracks 5 space companies in France. Of those, 4 are active startups.

What do space startups in France work on?

The biggest groups are biosphere (1), Earth observation (1) and in-space manufacturing (1), out of 5 sectors in all.

What is the latest news from space startups in France?

The most recent milestone on record is from ArcSpace, dated 25 August 2026: "Closes a €2M seed led by DEPO Ventures to fly a 12 kg electron-beam welding demonstration in 2027."

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