What Hypersonic Technology Goettingen does

HTG-Hyperschall Technologie Göttingen GmbH is a privately held German research and services company founded in 1989 by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Georg Koppenwallner. The firm develops physics-based simulation software for orbital aerodynamics, atmospheric re-entry, and spacecraft break-up analysis, and provides engineering consulting services to European space agencies and aerospace primes. The European Space Agency (ESA) acts as both the primary customer and a strategic co-development partner, with additional institutional customers including DLR, ASI and CNES, and aerospace industry customers including Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, Thales-Alenia, and Deimos. The company operates with a headcount of 1-10 employees and is headquartered at the Zentrum für Innovation Lindau (ZIL) in Katlenburg-Lindau, with a registered address in Bovenden near Göttingen.

HTG's product portfolio centers on four mature software tools: SCARAB (detailed spacecraft re-entry and aerothermal break-up simulation, in continuous development since 1995 and extended for Mars missions), DRAMA/SESAM (rapid debris risk assessment and ground casualty estimation, distributed globally via the ESA/ESOC Space Debris User Portal), RAMSES (rarefied aerodynamics property calculation for arbitrarily shaped satellites), and ANGARA (non-gravitational force and torque analysis from solar radiation and atmospheric interaction). The firm also develops the IOTA prototype for in-orbit tumbling analysis and is engaged in updating ESA's SARA re-entry module under the DRAMA Upgrade project. Together, these tools cover the full lifecycle of spacecraft behavior from orbital aerodynamics through break-up, demise, and ground impact assessment, and are referenced in compliance with ESA/ADMIN/IPOL (2014) space debris mitigation guidelines.

The business model combines direct software licensing and maintenance for SCARAB, RAMSES and ANGARA with project-based consulting and consortium research contracts. DRAMA/SESAM is distributed free of charge through ESA, functioning as a global channel that drives downstream SCARAB and consulting engagements. Pricing is contract-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is driven by technical reputation, ESA endorsement, and direct enterprise relationships rather than outbound sales; a related entity, Hyperschall- und Strömungstechnik GmbH (HST), was founded in 1997 in the same building and operates as a separate company.

Name

Hypersonic Technology Goettingen

Legal name

HTG-Hyperschall Technologie Göttingen GmbH

Website

https://htg-gmbh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HTG-Hyperschall Technologie Göttingen GmbH is a private German research firm developing ESA-validated simulation software for spacecraft re-entry, rarefied aerodynamics, and space debris risk assessment, serving ESA, DLR, and European aerospace primes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Debris & Re-entry Simulation Software

NAICS

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

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL)

Keywords

• Space debris analysis
• Re-entry simulation software
• Satellite aerodynamics
• Orbital debris mitigation
• Spacecraft demise analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Bovenden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing and Distribution: HTG develops and licenses specialized simulation software products (SCARAB, DRAMA/SESAM, RAMSES, ANGARA). SCARAB and DRAMA are distributed via ESA/ESOC Space Debris User Portal. Revenue derives from software licensing, maintenance, and updates to space agencies and aerospace companies.
2. Consulting and Project Services: HTG provides engineering consulting services in orbital aerodynamics, re-entry analysis, and spacecraft demisability assessment. Projects are commissioned by ESA, DLR, and European aerospace companies (Airbus, OHB, Thales-Alenia). Revenue is project-based and recurring through long-term relationships with major institutional customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HTG develops and licenses specialized physics-based simulation software (SCARAB, DRAMA/SESAM, RAMSES, ANGARA) for spacecraft atmospheric re-entry analysis, satellite aerodynamics, and space debris risk assessment. The company also provides project-based engineering consulting services in orbital aerodynamics, re-entry analysis, and spacecraft demisability assessment to space agencies (ESA, DLR, ASI, CNES) and European aerospace primes (Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, Thales-Alenia, Deimos).

Product overview

HTG develops a portfolio of specialized spacecraft simulation and analysis software for the space industry. The core products include SCARAB (SpaceCraft Atmospheric Re-entry and Aerothermal Break-up) for detailed re-entry simulation, DRAMA/SESAM for rapid debris risk assessment, RAMSES for orbital aerodynamics calculations, and ANGARA for non-gravitational force analysis. These tools work together to cover the complete lifecycle of satellite behavior from orbit to ground impact assessment. The company collaborates closely with ESA and operates under ECSS standards for software development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SCARAB SpaceCraft Atmospheric Re-entry and Aerothermal Break-up — detailed simulation software for uncontrolled satellite re-entry. Models spacecraft geometry using geometric primitives, assigns material properties, and simulates panel-based aerodynamic and thermal loads, panel destruction, hole formation, internal heating, and break-up of generated fragments until demise or ground impact. ESA-accepted tool for ground risk certification and used for Mars mission analyses.
• DRAMA/SESAM Debris Risk Assessment and Mitigation Analysis — Spacecraft Entry Survival Analysis Module (SESAM). Uses simplified satellite models for fast re-entry calculations: simulates object release at ~78 km altitude, calculates aerodynamic drag, gravity, and heat flow to determine fragment survival vs. demise. Enables rapid parametric casualty risk assessment for satellite operators and space agencies. Distributed via the ESA/ESOC Space Debris User Portal.
• RAMSES Rarified Aerodynamics Modeling System for Earth Satellites — calculates aerodynamic properties of arbitrarily shaped satellites in orbit and during early re-entry phase. Provides interactive geometry construction, gas-surface modelling, aerodynamic coefficient computation, and graphical evaluation with fitting functions using Integral method, Monte-Carlo, or Newton's method.
• ANGARA Analysis of Non-Gravitational Accelerations due to Radiation and Aerodynamics — computes force and torque coefficients for satellites induced by solar radiation and atmospheric interaction. Builds geometry from simple-shaped objects with panel-based surface discretization and calculates coefficients for ranges of speed ratios, angles of attack, and side-slip angles, with denormalization to actual orbital forces and torques.
• IOTA In-Orbit Tumbling Analysis — prototype software that characterizes the attitude state of debris targets in low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit by combining optical, satellite laser ranging, and radar observations with numerical simulations.
• Re-entry Analysis Consulting Services Project-based engineering consulting covering orbital aerodynamics, atmospheric re-entry analysis, satellite demisability assessment, and compliance verification with ESA/ADMIN/IPOL (2014) space debris mitigation policy. Delivered to space agencies and aerospace primes through direct contractual engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• SCARAB has been used for Mars mission analyses and is ESA's accepted tool for ground risk certification of spacecraft re-entry.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESA is HTG's primary customer and strategic partner. HTG develops and maintains core software tools (SCARAB, DRAMA/SESAM) under ESA programs. ESA distributes DRAMA via the ESA/ESOC Space Debris User Portal. ESA also commissions HTG for re-entry analysis of satellites and space debris, including compliance verification against ESA/ADMIN/IPOL (2014) space debris mitigation guidelines.
• German Aerospace Center (DLR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLR Cologne leads the CHARDEM project (Characterization of Demisable Materials), analyzing typical spacecraft materials (aluminum, titanium, CFRP) using hypersonic wind tunnels. HTG conducts corresponding SCARAB simulations for the wind tunnel tests. DLR is a key institutional customer for HTG's re-entry analysis services.
• Thales-Alenia Space (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the D4D (Design for Demise) project consortium. Thales-Alenia Space is developing design-for-demise techniques for spacecraft, with HTG providing SCARAB simulation analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of various demisability methods.
• Altran Technologies SA (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of one of three D4D project consortia working on design-for-demise techniques. Altran and HTG collaborate on evaluating spacecraft demisability methods using SCARAB analysis.
• Airbus Defence and Space (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirbus Defence & Space is a member of a D4D consortium and the RADID project. HTG conducts SCARAB analysis to evaluate Airbus's design-for-demise techniques. Airbus is also a direct customer for HTG's re-entry analysis and satellite aerodynamics services.
• DEIMOS Space (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEIMOS Space is HTG's partner in the DRAMA Upgrade project, updating and extending ESA's SARA (Spacecraft Entry Survival Analysis) re-entry module. The partnership involves implementing up-to-date methods and extending the range of functions of SESAM and SERAM submodules.
• etamax (Germany)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partneretamax is HTG's partner in the DRAMA Upgrade project, contributing to the update of ESA's SARA re-entry and risk analysis module alongside DEIMOS Space and TU Braunschweig.
• Astos Solutions (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstos Solutions leads the RADID project (Rapid Assessment of Design Impact on Debris Generation) together with Airbus Defence & Space and HTG. The project develops software for early and rapid assessment of design-for-demise decisions during spacecraft development.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Deimos Space: Spanish space engineering firm with active DRAMA Upgrade partnership with HTG. Operates in adjacent space-debris and mission-analysis services and is both a partner and a potential competitor in ESA-funded re-entry work.
• Altran (now Capgemini Engineering): French engineering services firm that participated in HTG's D4D consortia evaluating demisability methods. Provides overlapping aerospace simulation and consulting services to ESA and European primes.
• Fluid Gravity Engineering Ltd: UK-based specialist in hypersonic aerodynamics and re-entry analysis. Listed as a D4D consortium partner with HTG and addresses the same design-for-demise and spacecraft re-entry simulation niche.
• Astos Solutions:

Broad incumbents

• Ansys (Systems Tool Kit / STK): Ansys (including AGI's STK) is the dominant commercial orbital analysis platform used for satellite mission analysis, aerodynamics, and re-entry. Competes with HTG's ANGARA/RAMSES in the broader mission-analysis workflow though HTG remains the specialist ESA-validated re-entry tool.
• GMV Aerospace and Defence: Large European space software and engineering firm with capabilities in orbital dynamics, space debris, and GNC. Competes with HTG for ESA-adjacent simulation work and provides end-to-end space mission software suites.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hypersonic Technology Goettingen