German Ministry of Defence Awards Contract to Finnish Firm and German Defense Contractor for SAR Satellite Constellation Development

The German Ministry of Defence has awarded a €1.7 billion contract to Finnish firm ICEYE and German defense contractor Rheinmetall for the development of a new synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation. The contract runs from 2025 to 2030 with options to extend, according to Breaking Defense reports. Production of the first satellite is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026. This award may signal Germany’s growing commitment to space-based intelligence and its efforts to establish ‘strategic autonomy’ in the space domain.