A complementary industrial partnership to equip a new generation of French satellites.
A strategic partnership supporting institutional and commercial missions, which directly contributes to the technological autonomy of France and Europe.
In response to the growing demand for responsive, high-performance satellite constellations, ThrustMe, an expert in space propulsion, and U-Space, a systems integrator of a wide range of small satellites weighing from 12 to 140 kg, announce a new phase in their collaboration on strategic missions.
Their partnership combines two key areas of expertise in the French space industry: the iodine-based electric propulsion system developed by ThrustMe, which has already been proven in orbit, and the small satellites designed by U-Space, optimized for rapid integration and industrialization. This alliance aims to effectively meet the needs of institutional players such as CNES, AID, and the Ministry of the Armed Forces, while offering competitive solutions to commercial constellation operators.
As part of this collaboration, U-Space has ordered several NPT30-I2-1U systems from ThrustMe. Two of them have already been delivered and integrated onto a 120-kg satellite for a mission led by CNES. A third thruster was delivered in May for one of the satellites in the Toutatis mission, commissioned by the AID and the DGA on behalf of the Space Command. Additional deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter for missions that are currently confidential.
A DIRECT CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOALS OF TECHNOLOGICAL AND INDUSTRIAL SOVEREIGNTY
By leveraging a value chain based in France, ThrustMe and U-Space offer a concrete alternative to non-European suppliers. Their collaboration helps strengthen France’s and Europe’s autonomous industrial capacity to rapidly produce and deploy satellites for critical civilian and military applications.
“For the DGA, this partnership illustrates the dynamism of the national space ecosystem, which is collectively addressing the challenges of space dual-use and global competition by preparing to undertake an ever-wider range of missions, including those for the Ministry of the Armed Forces,” said Eva Portier, Deputy Director for Space at the DGA.
“We are proud to formalize this partnership with ThrustMe and to incorporate innovative technology that allows us to adopt an eco-responsible approach to our platforms. Being able to control their deorbiting at the end of their life cycle is a concrete step toward preventing space pollution. “We firmly believe this project will be a showcase for French expertise,” adds Fabien Apper, CEO and co-founder of U-Space.
“With U-Space, we are building a credible French industrial capability to deliver operational satellites with integrated propulsion. This partnership demonstrates that space innovation, when rooted locally, can address strategic challenges,” said Ane Aanesland, CEO and co-founder of ThrustMe.
ThrustMe and U-Space will showcase their joint capabilities at the Alliance NewSpace France (ANF) Pavilion—Paris Space Hub booth B46—during the 2025 Paris Air Show, marking a new milestone in the development of a competitive and sovereign space industry in Europe.
ABOUT THRUSTME
ThrustMe is a space propulsion company focused on enabling the industrial space era through advanced engineering and innovative design. Headquartered in France, the company develops reliable, efficient, and cost-effective propulsion solutions that support customers’ mission objectives. Since its founding in 2017, ThrustMe has worked with global industry leaders to advance the capabilities of the space sector and became the first company worldwide to master the use of iodine as a propellant in space propulsion applications.
ABOUT U-SPACE
U-Space has established itself as an industrial smallsat integrator, capable of responding rapidly to the growing demand from European and international markets. With its two fully-developed modular smallsat platforms (12U and FreeForm), tried-and-tested on-board software and automated factory (U-Zine) in Toulouse, U-Space is able to reconcile reliability, short time-to-orbit and European sovereignty.