Belgium has awarded US space and defense technology company Redwire a prime contract to build and deliver its first national security satellite, dubbed “MATTEO.”
Redwire will collaborate with the Belgian company Aerospacelab, which specializes in the operation of small satellites for Earth observation and communication.
MATTEO will be built domestically in support of Belgium’s National Defence Industrial Technology Base strategy, strengthening the country’s ability to monitor, protect, and respond to threats.
“MATTEO represents a significant advancement for Belgium’s technological sovereignty and national security, and Redwire is honored to be trusted to deliver on a mission of such strategic importance,” said Marc Dielissen, Executive VP of Redwire Europe.
Meanwhile, a Belgian defense ministry spokesperson said that the in-orbit demonstrator will enable the ministry and the national industry “to benefit from cutting-edge technology for the next steps of its capability development in the Space domain.”
The effort was commissioned by the country’s federal government and fully funded by the Belgian Ministry of Defence.
Redwire in Europe
Redwire Space in Belgium has been involved in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-1, Proba-2, Proba-V, and Proba-3 missions, including design, development, and/or integration.
Proba, short for “Project for Onboard Autonomy,” are small, experimental satellites proving new technologies in real space conditions.
The company is also the prime contractor for the ESA’s Skimsat mission, which is also a technology demonstrator satellite but designed to operate in Very Low Earth Orbit or at altitudes around 100 and 450 kilometers (62 to 280 miles).