SeeSat

What SeeSat does

SeeSat e.V. is a registered German non-profit student space association headquartered at the RITZ (Regional Innovation and Technology Transfer Center) in Friedrichshafen, with origins in a CubeSat development effort at DHBW Friedrichshafen starting in 2014 and formal incorporation as a Verein in 2019. The organization runs an interdisciplinary portfolio of student-led space technology projects, with the ERWIN 2U CubeSat (wildfire detection via bolometer-based thermal radiation measurement) as the flagship, complemented by the PÄYLOAD-2.0 technology demonstrator (CorePCB, ECSS-certified S-band antenna, radiation experiments) for the SOURCE-2 mission at the University of Stuttgart, the MOBeFuse commercial eFuse validation payload flown on OroraTech's OTC-P1 platform, the DORY deployable AIS antenna concept study for maritime monitoring, the SeeRoc solid-fuel student rocket program targeting the European Rocketry Challenge, the TOADY high-altitude balloon probe (reaching ~36,000 m), the CASIMAR lunar analog rover cooperation with DLR and ESA at the LUNA hall, and historical aerospace research through the Raderach project.

The association's revenue model is non-commercial, consisting of annual membership fees (€40 regular, €20 student, €10 alumni) supplemented by financial and in-kind sponsorship from a defined sponsor base including Stadt Friedrichshafen, DHBW Ravensburg, Altium, ANSYS, Würth Elektronik, Liebherr, and RAFI. Go-to-market is community-led: students join via website contact, project participation, and formal membership, supported by BVSR e.V. national network participation, DGLR junior membership, BodenseeAIRea cluster membership, and conference/event presence (Space Travel Day, BVSR Conference). In December 2024 SeeSat established the Institut für angewandte Raumfahrttechnik (IART) to bundle project coordination, third-party funding acquisition, and compliance, providing a structured interface between student engineering work and institutional partners.

Name

SeeSat

Legal name

SeeSat e.V.

Website

https://seesat.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SeeSat e.V. is a non-profit student space association based in Friedrichshafen, Germany, that develops CubeSats, rockets, weather balloon probes, and lunar analog rovers through interdisciplinary projects in partnership with DHBW Ravensburg, DLR, ESA, and industry sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Space Technology Projects

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft Integration, Assembly & Test (IAT) (IMABACAK)

Keywords

• CubeSat development
• Student space projects
• Small satellite subsystems
• Space technology education
• Lunar analog research

Headquarters

HQ city

Friedrichshafen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees providing decision-making participation and association benefits
2. Sponsorship and support: Financial and material support from sponsors including Altium, ANSYS, Würth Elektronik, Stadt Friedrichshafen, DHBW Ravensburg, RAFI, Liebherr, and others

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SeeSat e.V. is a non-profit student association that develops hands-on space technology projects. Its portfolio centers on the ERWIN 2U CubeSat mission for orbital wildfire detection, supported by technology demonstrators (PÄYLOAD-2.0, MOBeFuse), subsystems (DORY deployable AIS antenna, Embedded AI), a student rocketry program (SeeRoc), a stratospheric weather balloon probe (TOADY), and a rover project for lunar analog experiments (CASIMAR).

Product overview

SeeSat e.V. is a non-profit student organization developing space technology projects from Friedrichshafen, Germany. The portfolio centers on the ERWIN CubeSat mission for wildfire detection as the flagship project, supplemented by supporting technology demonstrators (PÄYLOAD-2.0, MOBeFuse) and related subsystems (DORY antenna, Embedded AI). Complementary projects span rocketry (SeeRoc), altitude research (TOADY), lunar analog experiments (CASIMAR), and aerospace history (Raderach). The IART institute provides the organizational competence center. All projects serve educational purposes while advancing practical space technology capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ERWIN (Emission of Radiation based Wildfire Investigation) 2U CubeSat designed to detect forest fires from low Earth orbit by measuring thermal radiation with a bolometer. SeeSat develops nearly all subsystems in-house; data is downlinked over a ground station in Friedrichshafen. Targeted at the wildfire detection research community and student learning.
• PÄYLOAD-2.0 1/4-U technology demonstrator payload for the SOURCE-2 mission validating a CorePCB computing unit (Xilinx Ultrascale+ MP-SoC), an ECSS-certified S-band antenna, and radiation measurement experiments in low Earth orbit. Includes Ambient Monitoring Unit for radiation dose and gamma spectroscopy.
• DORY (Deployable Orbital Radio assemblY) Compact CubeSat antenna concept with a deployable rolled-up mechanism for receiving AIS signals from low Earth orbit, targeting monitoring of ship positions and detection of illegal (IUU) fishing.
• MOBeFuse (Monitoring Orbital Behavior of eFuse) 60x60x10 mm in-orbit validation circuit board hosted on OroraTech's OTC-P1 CubeSat platform, testing commercial eFuses from Texas Instruments and Onsemi under orbital radiation conditions, correlated with radiation dose and temperature data.
• SeeRoc (SeeSat Rocketry) Student rocketry program developing experimental rockets with passive control and solid-fuel propulsion for European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC) 3-km and 9-km altitude competitions.
• TOADY Weather Balloon Probe Autonomous stratospheric balloon probe reaching approximately 36,000 m altitude carrying environmental sensors, performing motion tracking without GNSS and acoustic measurements in different atmospheric layers.
• CASIMAR (Cooperation for Astronautical Space Mission and Rover) Student research project, conducted with DLR and ESA, developing EVA tools and a rover for lunar analog experiments in the LUNA hall at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne.
• IART (Institut für angewandte Raumfahrttechnik) Competence center for research, development, and knowledge transfer in space technology at Campus Fallenbrunnen, acting as the bridge between science, education, and the space industry for SeeSat's project portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• First student satellite from Lake Constance for wildfire detection
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OroraTechcoreTechnology or Integration · 26 March 2025Munich-based startup provided 60x60mm slot on their CubeSat platform for MOBeFuse payload. MOBeFuse validates commercial eFuses under real space conditions aboard OroraTech's OTC-P1 constellation for wildfire detection.
• Zeppelin MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Raderach project cooperation for historical documentation of aerospace history. Museum provides archive access and documentation support for research on former Aggregat-4 test facility.
• University of StuttgartminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Cooperation partner for Raderach project historical research on Erich Regener's work and technical reconstruction of early sounding probes.
• KSat e.V. (University of Stuttgart)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Cooperation for SOURCE-2 mission where SeeSat develops PÄYLOAD-2.0 payload including CorePCB and S-band antenna. KSat provides the satellite bus and mission integration through their SOURCE-2 project at the Institute of Space Systems (IRS).
• Institute of Space Systems (IRS), University of StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Academic partner hosting SOURCE-2 mission. SeeSat's PÄYLOAD-2.0 undergoes in-orbit validation testing radiation effects and communication systems for future student space missions.
• DLR (German Aerospace Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CASIMAR project cooperation with DLR for lunar analog experiments. Tests and studies conducted in LUNA hall at European Astronaut Center (EAC) in Cologne. DLR provides simulation infrastructure for student rover development.
• ESA (European Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024European Astronaut Center (EAC) in Cologne hosts CASIMAR lunar analog experiments. ESA collaborates with DLR and student groups for EVA tool and rover development testing.
• Abdelmalek Essaadi University, TangierminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023International cooperation for Embedded AI project. Students from Tangier develop AI frameworks and training datasets for in-orbit image labeling to detect wildfires as part of the ERWIN mission.
• Fernuniversität HagenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Collaboration on autonomy concepts for ERWIN mission using expert systems rather than machine learning. Expert systems leverage telemetry data for satellite control and troubleshooting.
• DHBW Ravensburg (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Primary academic partner providing student access, lab facilities, and faculty support for SeeSat projects. DHBW offers the association opportunities to develop electronic components for balloon probes and hosts rocket development activities at the Friedrichshafen campus.
• BVSR e.V. (Bundesverband studentischer Raumfahrt)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019National association representing German student space groups. SeeSat is a member club, co-founded BVSR in 2021, and hosts the annual BVSR conference. Provides network for collaboration, workshops, and knowledge sharing.
• AltiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECAD software provider offering Altium 365 platform for circuit design and PCB development across SeeSat projects.
• Stadt FriedrichshafenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government providing financial support as platinum/gold sponsor for student space projects in the region.
• DGLR (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman aerospace society where SeeSat became a junior group member in 2025, providing networking and professional development opportunities.
• BodenseeAIReaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional aerospace cluster where SeeSat became a partner in 2025, connecting with aerospace companies and initiatives in the Lake Constance region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KSat e.V. (University of Stuttgart): Student space association at University of Stuttgart developing CubeSats (SOURCE series). Most direct peer: SeeSat supplies PÄYLOAD-2.0 to KSat's SOURCE-2 bus, and both are co-founders of BVSR e.V.
• TUDSaT e.V. (TU Darmstadt): Long-running German student space association at TU Darmstadt operating the PequiSat/HEAT CubeSat missions. Directly comparable as a BVSR-aligned student group developing and integrating small satellites.
• TU Munich Space Team / MOVE-II: Student space team at TU Munich that flew the MOVE-II CubeSat. Directly comparable as a German university CubeSat developer within the BVSR network with similar educational mission.
• Würzburg Space Initiative (WüSpace): Student space association at University of Würzburg building CubeSats and sounding rockets. Comparable scope (multi-project student org), structure (e.V.), and BVSR affiliation.
• Uni Bremen Small Satellite Group (STARS / ZEPHYR): University of Bremen student satellite program (e.g., ZEPHYR). Comparable as a German university group building and operating small satellites with a similar educational R&D scope.

Emerging players

• European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC) student teams (e.g., HyEnD, Polaris): Student rocketry teams competing in the European Rocketry Challenge, the same competition SeeRoc targets. Comparable on solid/liquid student propulsion development, though not satellite-focused.

Broad incumbents

• OroraTech: Commercial Munich-based wildfire-detection CubeSat operator that hosted MOBeFuse on its OTC-P1 mission. Comparable mission overlap (wildfire thermal detection from LEO) and direct partnership context.
• HyImpulse Technologies: Commercial German small-launch vehicle startup developing hybrid propulsion rockets. Comparable trajectory to SeeRoc's student rocketry ambitions, though operating at commercial scale.

Others

• DGLR (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt) junior groups: German aerospace society where SeeSat became a junior group member in 2025. Ecosystem peer — comparable as an organizational home for student aerospace activities rather than a direct competitor.
• BodenseeAIRea aerospace cluster: Regional aerospace cluster at Lake Constance where SeeSat partnered in 2025. Ecosystem peer — local network hub for aerospace companies and initiatives in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SeeSat.e.V
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seesat-e-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 SeeSat