German Orbital Systems

What German Orbital Systems does

German Orbital Systems GmbH is a Berlin-based private space technology company founded in 2014 that designs, manufactures, and integrates CubeSat platforms and delivers turnkey satellite missions. The company's product portfolio spans the D-STAR ONE (3U, TRL9 flight-heritage), RAVEN (6U), and SLOT (16U with propulsion) platforms, plus the GROOVE 3U shared-bus that allows up to 10 users to co-manifest on a single satellite. Architectures follow a New Space philosophy built on Commercial Off-The-Shelf components, with a software-defined core featuring digitally controlled converters and redundant switches, modular payload accommodation up to 4U, and a proprietary Autonomous Scheduler and dedicated Interface Controller Chip per payload.

The company serves Earth observation, ADS-B aircraft tracking, in-orbit technology verification, scientific experimentation, and student/academic mission customers, with primary personas being first-time technology demonstration customers and small constellation builders pursuing non-standard payloads. Revenue is generated through three streams: turnkey mission contracts that bundle space and launch segments, direct hardware sales of CubeSat platforms and subsystems, and engineering consulting. Pricing is custom-quoted on a per-mission basis and is not publicly disclosed.

Go-to-market is direct sales via the company website and Berlin-based sales team, targeting enterprise and research customers globally. The company has launched 11 satellites, accumulated 600+ operational hours, and advertises a 6-month contract-to-launch-ready timeline. Ownership is privately held by the managing director, Walter Ballheimer, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent entities, or subsidiaries in the source data.

Name

German Orbital Systems

Legal name

German Orbital Systems GmbH

Website

https://orbitalsystems.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

German Orbital Systems GmbH, founded in 2014 in Berlin, designs and manufactures modular CubeSat platforms (3U, 6U, 16U) and delivers turnkey satellite missions for Earth observation, ADS-B tracking, in-orbit verification, scientific, and academic customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Satellite Manufacturing

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)

Keywords

• CubeSat platforms
• Turnkey satellite missions
• Small satellite manufacturing
• Space mission consulting
• NewSpace satellite components

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Turnkey Satellite Missions: Complete end-to-end satellite mission solutions including space and launch segment bundles. Customers receive fully integrated satellite platforms ready for their specific payloads and applications.
2. Satellite Components and Platforms: Sale of CubeSat platforms (3U, 6U, 16U) and subsystem components to customers who integrate their own payloads.
3. Consulting Services: Expert engineering consulting for space missions, satellite design, and mission operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

German Orbital Systems provides turnkey small-satellite missions and manufactures modular CubeSat platforms (3U D-STAR ONE, 6U RAVEN, 16U SLOT, and the multi-user 3U GROOVE). The company also sells satellite subsystems/components and offers engineering consulting, satellite assembly and testing, launch coordination, and operations services to government agencies, research institutions, and commercial customers.

Product overview

German Orbital Systems provides a portfolio of modular CubeSat platforms (3U, 6U, and 16U form factors) designed for shared satellite missions under a NewSpace philosophy. The core product line consists of the D-STAR ONE (3U, TRL9), RAVEN (6U), and SLOT (16U with propulsion) platforms, complemented by the multi-user 3U GROOVE platform that enables cost-sharing among up to 10 users. Supporting the hardware platforms, the company offers Interface Controller chips for flexible payload handling and an Autonomous Scheduler for optimizing payload duty cycles. Turnkey solutions encompass mission design, assembly/testing, launch, and operations services, allowing execution of satellite missions within 6 months from contract signature.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• D-STAR ONE Platform: 3U CubeSat platform with TRL9 flight heritage, active/passive AOCS, 1.5-2U free space, S band for data downlink, up to 24W power.
• RAVEN Platform
• SLOT Platform
• GROOVE Platform

Products and services

• D-STAR ONE Platform 3U CubeSat platform with TRL9 flight heritage, featuring active/passive AOCS, 1.5-2U free payload space, S-band data downlink, and up to 24W power; for customers building small-satellite missions with proven hardware.
• RAVEN Platform 6U CubeSat platform with active AOCS, 4U free payload space, X/S-band data downlink, and up to 72W power; for customers requiring higher payload mass/volume than 3U platforms.
• SLOT Platform 16U CubeSat platform at TRL7 with active AOCS, 8U free payload space, X-band data downlink, up to 164W power, and an integrated propulsion module; for customers needing the largest platform and maneuvering capability in the portfolio.
• 3U GROOVE Platform Multi-user 3U CubeSat platform allowing up to 10 users to share a single bus, reducing costs by an order of magnitude for proof-of-concept and feasibility demonstrations; targeted at first-time and budget-constrained customers.
• Turnkey Mission Design Services End-to-end mission design services for space missions including space and launch segment bundles; customers receive fully integrated mission concepts ready for contract signature with a 6-month launch-readiness target.
• Satellite Assembly and Testing Services Satellite assembly and testing services for customer payloads integrated onto German Orbital Systems platforms; for customers needing reliable integration with 9 years of in-house experience.
• Launch Services Launch segment services covering launch coordination and integration for customer satellite missions; backed by 11 satellites successfully launched.
• Satellite Operations Services Satellite operations services for in-orbit assets with over 600 hours of cumulative operational experience; for customers needing ongoing mission operations support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Satellite missions executable within 6 months from contract signature to launch-ready
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• D-Orbit: Italian in-orbit services and smallsat deployment company with adjacent CubeSat integration capabilities. Comparable as a European NewSpace company serving smallsat operators, though focused on the in-orbit transportation layer rather than bus manufacturing.

Direct peers

• Innovative Solutions In Space (ISIS): Dutch CubeSat bus manufacturer and launch broker offering 3U/6U/12U/16U platforms plus deployers. Comparable in product scope (CubeSat buses + mission services) and customer base (university and research satellite programs globally).
• AAC Clyde Space: Swedish small satellite manufacturer with EPIC platforms in 1U/3U/6U/12U form factors and integrated mission services. Comparable mission-as-a-service positioning and overlapping customer base in commercial and institutional markets.
• Open Cosmos: UK-based smallsat mission integrator offering end-to-end satellite services from design to operations. Comparable turnkey model targeting commercial constellation operators and research institutions, with similar 6-12 month mission timelines.
• NanoAvionics (Kongsberg NanoAvionics): Lithuania-based smallsat bus provider, now part of Kongsberg, offering 3U/6U/12U/16U platforms. Directly comparable to GOS's D-STAR ONE, RAVEN, and SLOT offerings, with shared focus on constellation-scale customers and turnkey missions.
• GomSpace: Danish-listed CubeSat platform manufacturer offering 3U/6U/12U buses with flight heritage. Closely comparable in form factor and customer base (research institutions, commercial constellation operators), with a similar NewSpace/COTS philosophy.
• EnduroSat: Bulgarian CubeSat platform and shared payload service provider, with a GROOVE-like multi-user shared bus model (ShareSat). Most direct conceptual competitor to GOS's GROOVE platform and similar smallsat-as-a-service positioning.
• Berlin Space Technologies: Berlin-based small satellite manufacturer focused on 3U/6U CubeSats and high-performance Earth observation buses. Direct German/European competitor with overlapping customer segments in research and commercial smallsat missions.
• Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems (Terran Orbital): US-based smallsat bus manufacturer, now part of Terran Orbital, offering CubeSat and ESPA-class platforms with extensive flight heritage. Overlapping customer base in US defense and commercial constellation markets.

Broad incumbents

• OHB System: Large German/Aerospace prime contractor offering satellites across all size classes. While not focused exclusively on CubeSats, OHB competes in adjacent European institutional smallsat programs and represents a larger incumbent alternative for the same customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GermanOrbital
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/german-orbital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about German Orbital Systems