Euro Heat Pipes

What Euro Heat Pipes does

Euro Heat Pipes (EHP) is a Belgian company headquartered in Nivelles that designs, manufactures, and qualifies two-phase thermal control hardware for the space industry. Founded in 2001 as a spin-off from SABCA and the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the company produces capillary-based heat pipes, dual-core loop heat pipes (LHP²), complete thermal bus subsystems, and deployable pointing systems (DPS) used by spacecraft prime contractors to dissipate heat in the extreme thermal environments of orbit (range −150 °C to +150 °C). EHP holds 10,000 m² of facilities including a 2,000 m² clean room, and claims 180+ million cumulative spaceflight hours with zero in-orbit failures across 10,000+ delivered flight products and 6,000+ units currently active in orbit.

The business model is direct B2B enterprise sales to satellite primes (Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB, i3system) and government space agencies (ESA, CNES, DLR, EUMETSAT, KARI, French DGA), with quote-based pricing and multi-year program contracts tied to specific spacecraft platforms. EHP operates as a 51% majority-owned subsidiary of Airbus Defence and Space, with the Walloon region (SRIW/SOGEPA) holding the remaining 49%, and is the only dedicated heat pipe production line in Europe with demonstrated capacity of 4,000+ units per year per shift. Revenue streams combine hardware sales of standardized and custom thermal control units with in-house thermal vacuum and shaker testing services offered to external customers under EN9100 certification.

Customers include flagship European programs such as JUICE (Jupiter mission), MTG weather satellites, OneWeb constellation (648 LEO satellites), SES-17, Eutelsat Konnect VHTS, EnMAP, CSO-1 military observation, and SVOM, with newer commercial partnerships extending into space logistics (The Exploration Company's Nyx Earth, Feb 2025) and exploration of adjacent aviation markets via EU-funded PIPS/I3PS anti-icing programs. The company rebranded from Euro Heat Pipes to EHP in April 2023 to reflect its evolution from a European heat pipe specialist into a global thermal control and deployable systems supplier.

Name

Euro Heat Pipes

Legal name

Euro Heat Pipes SA

Website

https://ehp.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Euro Heat Pipes (EHP) is a Belgian Nivelles-based manufacturer of two-phase thermal control hardware — heat pipes, loop heat pipes, thermal buses, and deployable pointing systems — sold directly to satellite prime contractors and space agencies for spacecraft thermal management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spacecraft Thermal Control Hardware

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Heat Exchangers & Thermal Transfer Equipment (IMAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Space thermal control
• Two-phase heat pipes
• Satellite thermal management
• Spacecraft hardware manufacturing
• Aerospace components

Headquarters

HQ city

Nivelles

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Thermal Control Hardware Sales: Sale of heat pipes, loop heat pipes, thermal buses, and deployable systems to satellite manufacturers and space agencies. Products are custom-manufactured for specific spacecraft programs with long sales cycles.
2. Testing Services: In-house test facilities including thermal vacuum chambers, shaker testing, and thermal cycling services offered to external customers. EN9100 certified testing capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EHP designs, manufactures, and qualifies passive two-phase thermal control hardware (heat pipes, loop heat pipes, dual-core LHP²) and integrated thermal subsystems (thermal buses, deployable radiators, deployable pointing systems) for spacecraft platforms and payloads. The company also provides in-house thermal vacuum, shaker, and thermal cycling test services under EN9100 certification. Products are custom-engineered for specific satellite programs and supplied directly to satellite prime contractors and space agencies worldwide.

Product overview

EHP (Euro Heat Pipes) is a Belgian company specializing in thermal management solutions for the space industry. The company operates as a hardware manufacturer with a three-pillar product portfolio: Heat Pipes (including standard heat pipes, loop heat pipes, and dual-core LHP²), Thermal Systems (complete thermal control solutions including thermal buses), and Deployable Systems (deployable radiators and Deployable Pointing Systems). EHP also offers Test Services using in-house facilities including thermal vacuum chambers. The company positions itself as the European leader in two-phase thermal control for space applications, with demonstrated production capacity of 4,000+ heat pipes per year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heat Pipes
• Thermal Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 million+ cumulative spaceflight hours with zero in-orbit failures
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, major, core, standard, foundational and research.

• The Exploration CompanystrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2025EHP providing advanced thermal management sub-systems for Nyx Earth spacecraft. Collaboration marks significant milestone in delivering cutting-edge thermal control solutions for next-generation space missions and European space logistics.
• OneWebmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016EHP manufactured several thousand heat pipes for OneWeb constellation of 648 LEO satellites. Production transformed EHP from ~100 heat pipes/year to 3,000/year. Project initiated in 2016, completed July 2021.
• ESA (European Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARTES Partnership Projects including Neosat with Airbus and Thales Alenia Space. ESA co-funding for heat pipe development, qualification and industrialization including TELECOM ARTES 4.0 project and Eurostar Neo partnership.
• OHB System AGmajorTechnology or IntegrationEHP and Airbus D&S performed detailed design and manufacturing of Instrument Optical Unit Thermal Control SubSystem for EnMAP satellite. EHP manufactured and tested cooling system before delivery to OHB.
• Thales Alenia SpacemajorTechnology or IntegrationBuilt SES-17 and Spacebus Neo satellites with EHP thermal control products including first-ever Mechanically Pumped Loop on telecom satellite. Ongoing collaboration on Eurostar Neo platform.
• i3system Inc.standardTechnology or IntegrationEHP selected by i3system to provide AG060 heat pipes for thermal regulation of Focal Plane Assembly on CAS500 satellite.
• ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles)foundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerEHP originated as spin-off from ULB Faculty of Applied Sciences in 2001, in collaboration with SABCA. Founded with vision to develop Two-Phase technology for space applications.
• SABCAfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerEHP based on SABCA's Two-phase department with impulse from Pr. Jean-Claude Legros of ULB. SABCA heritage contributed 20+ years of knowledge to EHP.
• EU Cleansky 2 Research ProgramresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded PIPS and I3PS projects targeting energy saving of planes through new anti-icing system using Capillary Pumped Loop technology. PIPS developed system, I3PS tested in relevant environment.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Thales Alenia Space: European satellite prime that integrates thermal control systems into platforms (Spacebus Neo, SES-17, Konnect VHTS). Both customer and competitor: Thales sources some thermal hardware from EHP but also develops in-house thermal solutions for its own platforms.
• Lockheed Martin Space: US satellite prime with substantial in-house thermal control and deployable systems engineering. Comparable in serving space missions with integrated thermal solutions, although Lockheed primarily sources internally rather than from external Tier-2 specialists.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Major US aerospace supplier with a thermal control product line serving space, defense, and aviation markets. Comparable in providing thermal subsystems and components to satellite manufacturers, particularly in the US market where EHP has limited reach.
• Airbus Defence and Space: EHP's 51% parent company and a major satellite prime with internal thermal engineering capability. Airbus competes with EHP's customers for satellite platform programs and integrates EHP thermal hardware into Eurostar Neo, Aeolus, and SVOM-class missions.
• Northrop Grumman Space Systems: US prime contractor with a broad space hardware portfolio including thermal management for classified and commercial satellites. Comparable in delivering full thermal subsystems and competing for the same end-customer satellite programs in different geographies.

Emerging players

• Cosine Research: Dutch specialist in thermal control and metrology systems for space, including heat-pipe-based instruments and cryogenic cooling subsystems for ESA missions. Comparable technology focus on satellite thermal management, though at a smaller scale than EHP.

Others

• OHB System AG: German satellite prime and integrator (EnMAP, MTG-S, Copernicus missions). Both customer and adjacent peer: OHB integrates thermal subsystems from EHP into its satellite platforms and competes for similar ESA/European institutional missions.

Regional players

• MDA Space: Canadian space hardware and systems provider with thermal and robotics subsystems across satellite and space-station programs. Comparable in supplying thermal/mechanical subsystems to commercial and institutional space customers, primarily serving the North American market.

Direct peers

• Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space): Swiss-headquartered space hardware manufacturer with a comparable thermal-control and mechanism product portfolio (heat pipes, thermal hardware, deployable structures). Both companies supply satellite primes with passive two-phase thermal solutions and compete head-to-head on European and global space programs.
• Redwire Corporation: US space infrastructure company with deployable structures and thermal subsystems (notably via the Roccor acquisition). Direct comparable in space-grade deployable booms, structures, and thermal hardware serving similar satellite prime customers in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/euro-heat-pipes

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Euro Heat Pipes