Javier Benedicto and Emile de Rijk agree new HummingSat contract

ESA and SWISSto12, a leading manufacturer of advanced satellite payloads and systems, have signed a contract for the full development of a new product line of satellites called HummingSat.

The innovative, small-sized HummingSat range of satellites, named after the tiny, agile, fast-moving, and yet apparently stationary hummingbird, are being developed as an ESA Partnership Project with SWISSto12.

The programme’s objective is for the new satellite builder to capture a significant part of the expanding global market of small and flexible geostationary satellites. Remarkably for a newcomer in geostationary satellite manufacturing, such as SWISSto12, four satellites have already been sold: the first to satellite operator Intelsat, due to be launched on an Ariane 6 launcher in 2026 to support Intelsat’s media and network customers, and three to Inmarsat, to provide worldwide safety services and emergency communications for ships and aircraft.

At around the size of an industrial washing machine, HummingSats are much smaller than conventional geostationary satellites. This makes them more affordable to build, and launch costs are reduced as they can piggyback on so-called ride-share missions. SWISSto12’s groundbreaking 3D-printing technology will help boost the payload performance, streamline the manufacturing process, and reduce the build time and cost of production.