Dawn Aerospace Joins €10M European Defence Agency-backed LEO2VLEO Satellite Consortium
Leaders from ISISPACE Group, Dawn Aerospace Nederland, Fantana Defence and Space, ASA Astrosysteme, Graz University of Technology, Beyond Gravity Austria, and Joanneum Research gathered at the European Defence Agency in Brussels on 22 July 2025 to officially kick off the LEO2VLEO programme to advance manoeuvrable defence satellite constellations in Europe.
Delft, Netherlands — 24 July 2025 —This week Dawn Aerospace had the official kick-off of the LEO2VLEO project, a European Defence Agency-backed program to develop the continent’s first maneuverable military satellite constellation operating between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO).
Co-funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and the Austrian Armed Forces, the project includes the development of three 16U satellites, equipped with propulsion systems developed by Dawn. These custom-built propulsion systems will enable both formation flying and rapid orbital changes— the latter capability being key to demonstrate the ability to operate in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) and thereby enhancing satellite performance on demand in a crisis.
The simplicity and responsiveness of Dawn’s green propulsion is particularly suited for this fast-paced program, alongside rapid delivery timelines. Furthermore, the program aligns with the recent launch of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force (prev: Royal Netherlands Air Force), the Dutch Ministry of Defence recognizing the importance that space-based assets in maintaining safety and security.
“Europe is taking a major leap in space responsiveness and sovereign capability,” said Jeroen Wink, Director at Dawn Aerospace. “Dawn’s propulsion technology is built for missions that demand urgency, flexibility, and reliability—and LEO2VLEO exemplifies all three.”
With the launch planned within two years, the constellation illustrates forward-thinking in Europe’s increasing focus on responsivity, to adapt satellite operations in real time––a growing requirement for defense readiness in contested domains.
Dawn is honoured to work alongside its consortium partners to deliver new space capabilities alongside Netherlands Ministry of Defence and contribute to a more secure European future.
EDA Chief Executive André Denk and ISISPACE CEO Jeroen Rotteveel sign the €10 million LEO2VLEO contract at EDA headquarters in Brussels, 30 June 2025. Image credit: ISISPACE.
About Dawn Aerospace
Dawn Aerospace, founded in 2017, is a leading green propulsion provider to satellites, with its In-Space Propulsion HQ in the Netherlands and further operations spanning France, New Zealand, and the United States. Dawn Aerospace has hardware on 35 satellites on orbit, with customers in more than 10 countries including France, Germany, Netherlands, the USA, Italy, Spain, India, Japan, Canada, Indonesia, and Korea. The fast-growing company offers turnkey propulsion systems for a wide range of satellites, including NanoSat, MicroSat, ESPA, and ESPA Grande-class satellites.
In addition to Dawn’s in-space propulsion, Dawn is developing the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever to take off from a runway, due to reach altitudes of 100 km (328,000 ft). This spaceplane, Aurora, combines the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability of conventional airplanes to enable high-frequency, low-cost access to high altitudes and space.