Berlin, Germany — March 30, 2026 — Exolaunch, a Berlin-based global leader in launch mission management, satellite integration and deployment services, deployed two satellites built by Thales Alenia Space and GMV, respectively, for ESA's Celeste mission aboard Rocket Lab's Electron. Lift-off occurred from Mahia spaceport in New Zealand on 28 March 2026.

Exolaunch provided its flight-proven separation systems, deployment and integration services to ensure mission success for the inaugural launch of ESA's Celeste demonstrator mission. This initial mission phase consists of two CubeSats, IOD-1 built by GMV and IOD-2 built by Thales Alenia Space, designed to validate the system definition and early signal broadcasting, de-risk and demonstrate technology for the core elements for succeeding Celeste satellites.

The Celeste mission is a highly strategic European initiative aimed at demonstrating how the Low Earth orbit Precise Navigation Timing (LEO-PNT) approach can enhance Europe's robustness, security, and technological sovereignty in the satellite navigation field. By showcasing new in-orbit capabilities for added performances, the mission represents a significant step forward for Europe's navigation capabilities. The Celeste demonstration mission will comprise a constellation of 11 microsatellites in low Earth orbit to test innovative signals across various frequency bands, advancing satellite navigation concepts for resilient positioning and timing services.

The mission launched on a dedicated Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle and brought together leading European industrial and institutional players. The two industrial prime contractors, GMV and Thales Alenia Space, have each been awarded ESA contracts to lead industrial consortia, jointly delivering 11 spacecraft to validate key technologies and concepts.

The integration of the two IOD satellites into the EXOpod Nova deployers was completed successfully at Exolaunch's headquarters in Berlin. This achievement highlights Exolaunch's commitment to excellence and its proven capability to deliver reliable separation systems, high-precision integration and deployment services, supporting the development of a competitive and sovereign European space ecosystem.

This milestone underscores a strategic shift toward reducing reliance on single-system GNSS architectures while strengthening robustness against interference, disruptions, and outages. Celeste is expected to accelerate Europes leadership in next-generation LEO navigation technologies and demonstrates how agile, rapidly deployed missions can deliver meaningful results on accelerated timelines.

“At Exolaunch, we strongly believe that Celeste is more than a technology demonstrator, it is a cornerstone of Europe's future PNT ecosystem. These two first satellites, delivered by our customers Thales Alenia Space and GMV for the European Space Agency, are part of that exciting journey,” said Elena Eyngorn, Director of Strategic Business Development at Exolaunch. “By paving the way toward future scalable, operational LEO-PNT constellations, we are proud to support missions that combine innovation, speed, and reliability, and to see the first two Celeste satellites take this crucial step toward orbit.”

The Celeste demonstration mission is part of a busy launch manifest for Exolaunch, with over 20 contracted launches of several hundred satellites scheduled across 2026. This launch activity underscores Exolaunch's critical role in driving rapid constellation deployment, demonstrating its ability to scale operations and meet the growing demands of the European and global small satellite market.

About Exolaunch

Exolaunch is a global leader in launch mission management, satellite integration and satellite deployment technologies. With a decade of flight heritage and 677 satellites launched across 43 missions to date, Exolaunch leverages industry insight to tailor turnkey solutions that meet customer needs and respond to market trends. Exolaunch fulfills launch contracts for industry leaders, the world's most innovative startups, research institutions, government organizations, and international space agencies. The company develops and manufactures its own flight-proven and industry-leading satellite separation systems and payload launch stacks, with the fastest-growing heritage on the market.

Exolaunch, headquartered in Germany, operates globally with offices in the U.S., France, and Japan. Exolaunch promotes safe, sustainable, and responsible use of space and is committed to making space accessible for all.

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