Sirius Space Services

What Sirius Space Services does

Sirius Space Services is a French aerospace startup founded in 2020 that is developing a family of reusable small-satellite launch vehicles — Sirius 1 (300 kg to SSO), Sirius 13 (800–1020 kg), and Sirius 15 (1100–1500 kg) — powered by its in-house methalox engine, the STAR-1. The company produces the engine using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing at its Île-de-France facilities (Nanterre headquarters, Le Coudray-Montceaux manufacturing, Orsay registered office) under ISO 9100 and ISO 14001 certifications. The engine has been progressively validated through hot-fire tests at DLR-Lampoldshausen in Germany (60 seconds in December 2023, 120 seconds in October 2024, and 140 seconds in April 2025), and the company is targeting 100% reusability by 2035 with first-stage reuse projected to reduce launch cost by up to 60%.

Sirius sells launch services directly to B2B customers — satellite operators, institutions, and government agencies — through three tiers: dedicated launches (full orbit and timing control), shared capacity (ride-share for standard orbits), and rideshare attach (piggyback on a primary mission). Pricing is quote-based and mission-specific, with no public rate cards. The company is supported by a dense European aerospace ecosystem, including CNES, ESA, DLR, Bpifrance, GIFAS, Ariane Group, Airbus Defence and Space, Pôle ASTECH, French Tech, and the Cassini Accelerator, and is a laureate of the France 2030 'Démonstration d'un service de micro et mini lancements' programme.

Funding to date is primarily non-dilutive: France 2030 programme selection and €1–3 million committed by the Île-de-France Region at the 2024 Paris Air Show, alongside early-stage accelerator exposure (Starburst 2022, IncubAlliance Paris-Saclay 2020). The company has scaled to 170–180 employees under founder/CEO Antoine Fourcade, with CTO François Maroquene-Froissart and CIO Ghislain Benard. The maiden flight is targeted for 2027, meaning Sirius is currently pre-revenue and executing against a multi-year capital-intensive development programme rather than a commercial sales pipeline.

Name

Sirius Space Services

Legal name

SAS SIRIUS SPACE SERVICES

Website

https://sirius-space.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sirius Space Services is a French aerospace startup developing a reusable family of small-satellite launchers (Sirius 1, 13, 15) powered by an in-house methalox engine, targeting dedicated and rideshare B2B launch services to satellite operators and institutions with a maiden flight planned for 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Launch Vehicles

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMABACAA

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Spacecraft & Launch Vehicle Manufacturing

Keywords

• Small satellite launch
• Reusable launch vehicles
• Methalox rocket engines
• Orbital launch services
• Launch vehicle manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanterre

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Dedicated Launch Services: Full dedicated launch services offering complete control over orbit, timing, and mission profile tailored to the payload's needs. Sold as a premium priced service for mission-specific satellite deployments.
2. Shared Capacity / Ride-Share Launch: Customers share launch capacity with other satellites on the same mission, ideal for tight schedules and standard orbits. Offered as the most economical launch option with frequent flight opportunities.
3. Rideshare Attach Services: Customers attach their payload to a main mission and benefit from the reliability and frequent flight opportunities of the primary launch. A smart affordable approach to accessing space.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sirius Space Services designs, manufactures, and sells a family of reusable small satellite launch vehicles (Sirius 1, Sirius 13, Sirius 15) powered by the proprietary in-house STAR-1 methalox engine produced via Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing. The company sells launch capacity to satellite operators and institutions through three service tiers: dedicated launches with full orbit and timing control, shared capacity ride-share missions, and rideshare attach to a primary mission.

Product overview

Sirius Space Services offers a modular family of small satellite launchers under the SIRIUS brand, consisting of three variants: SIRIUS 1 (dedicated small payload launcher), SIRIUS 13 (multi-satellite deployment), and SIRIUS 15 (heavy mission launcher). All variants are powered by the proprietary STAR-1 engine, manufactured in-house using advanced 3D printing (L-PBF) technology. The company is developing reusable launch vehicle technology targeting 100% reusability by 2035, with planned first launch in 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SIRIUS 2S: Optimised for small dedicated payloads, 300 kg at SSO 500 km, 2 stages, central core, 26.6 tons, 34.9 m
• SIRIUS 13
• SIRIUS 15
• STAR-1

Products and services

• SIRIUS 1 Compact launcher optimized for small dedicated payloads, capable of delivering 300 kg to Sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km altitude and 50° inclination. Two-stage configuration with a central core, measuring 34.9 meters in length. Targeted at operators seeking a dedicated mission for a single small satellite.
• SIRIUS 13 Medium-capacity launcher designed for multi-satellite deployment, offering 800 kg payload to Sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km (up to 1,020 kg at 50° inclination). Features four boosters with nine STAR-1 engines each. Targets commercial constellation operators and institutional customers requiring multi-satellite deployment on a single mission.
• SIRIUS 15

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce cost of access to space by up to 60% through first stage reuse
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ESA (European Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESA is the European Union's space agency that supports the European space ecosystem. Listed as a key supporter of Sirius Space Services, likely providing technical guidance, infrastructure access, and programme endorsement within the European launch services ecosystem.
• CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNES is the French national space agency, listed as a partner and supporter of Sirius Space Services. Provides technical expertise, launch infrastructure access, and programme support for French launch vehicle development.
• DLR (German Aerospace Center)coreTechnology or IntegrationDLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) conducted STAR-1 V2 engine hot fire tests at its Lampoldshausen facility in Germany. The tests validated the engine at progressively longer burn durations: 60 seconds (December 2023), 120 seconds (October 2024), and 140 seconds (April 2025).
• Ariane GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAriane Group, a major European aerospace and launch vehicle company, is listed among Sirius Space Services' supporters. The relationship appears to be within the broader French aerospace ecosystem rather than a deep commercial partnership.
• Airbus Defence and SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirbus Defence and Space, a leading European aerospace manufacturer, is listed as a supporter of Sirius Space Services within the French aerospace ecosystem.
• GIFAS (Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales)minorOthersGIFAS is the French aerospace industries association, bringing together French aerospace companies. Listed as a supporter of Sirius Space Services within the industry ecosystem.
• Pôle ASTECHminorOthersPôle ASTECH is a French aerospace and defence competitiveness cluster supporting innovation and collaboration among space sector companies in the Paris region.
• Sorbonne UniversitéminorOthersSorbonne Université, a major French research university, features CEO Antoine Fourcade in its 'Je veux' podcast. Provides thought leadership platform and academic collaboration within the space sector.
• Mines Paris PSLminorOthersMines Paris PSL (École des Mines) is a prestigious French engineering school listed as a supporter. Likely provides research collaboration, talent recruitment, and academic partnership.
• Crowe FranceminorOthersCrowe France is an accounting and consulting firm listed as a supporter. Provides financial advisory, audit, or consulting services to Sirius Space Services.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab is the most established smallsat launch operator with the Electron rocket, serving commercial and institutional customers globally. It is comparable to Sirius as a dedicated/small-satellite launch provider, but with a much larger launch cadence, established flight heritage, and vertically integrated Space Systems business, making it a broader incumbent rather than a direct stage-matched peer.
• Arianespace: Arianespace operates the Vega-C and rideshare services via the European Spaceport, including institutional smallsat missions. As the incumbent European launch provider, it competes for the same institutional customers Sirius targets but across a much broader launch portfolio.
• Firefly Aerospace: US small-to-medium launch operator offering Alpha for smallsat missions and MLV for larger payloads. Comparable in launch category and target customers, though operating with broader scale and US government backing.

Direct peers

• Isar Aerospace: Isar Aerospace is a German small-satellite launch startup developing the Spectrum rocket, targeting institutional and commercial European customers. It is the most directly comparable European micro-launch peer to Sirius, sharing target customers, geography, and development stage.
• Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA): RFA is developing the Helix launcher for smallsat deployment, with a similar cost-driven, European-focused value proposition. It competes with Sirius for the same pool of European institutional customers and rideshare demand.
• PLD Space: Spanish launch startup developing the Miura 5 reusable smallsat launcher, with comparable payload class and reusable launch ambitions. Direct peer in the European micro-launch race targeting institutional and commercial smallsat operators.
• Astra Space: US-based smallsat launch startup that has struggled with launch reliability and pivoted toward space services. Comparable in business model (smallsat launch) and stage (pre or early commercial operations), though with more capital raised.

Emerging players

• Relativity Space: US launch startup using 3D-printed rockets (Aeon engine, Terran family) for small to medium payloads. Shares Sirius's additive manufacturing DNA and reusability ambitions, though at a different scale and capital level.
• HyImpulse: German/UK startup developing hybrid-propulsion smallsat launchers (SL1). Comparable as a European micro-launch peer pursuing a different propulsion approach (hybrid vs. methalox) for the same customer segment.

Others

• Exolaunch: Berlin-based launch services and rideshare aggregator that brokers smallsat rides to multiple launch providers. Indirectly comparable as it represents both a customer channel and a competitive intermediary for the smallsat operators Sirius targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SiriusSpaceServices1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sirius-space-services/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/sirius_space_services

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sirius Space Services