Ibadan, 27 May 2026. – OHB Italia and Munich-based antenna specialist HPS GmbH have signed a contract at the SmallSat Europe 2026 conference making the latter responsible for procuring the communications antenna for the Apophis-bound Ramses spacecraft.
Asteroid Apophis will fly within 32,000 km of the Earth’s surface in 2029, almost ten times closer than the moon, offering a unique opportunity for scientific and planetary defense research. The Ramses Spacecraft will therefore launch a year earlier and rendezvous with the asteroid before the flyby, helping scientists gather vital data about the flyby’s effect on the 375-meter asteroid.
During the mission, scientists will try to get very detailed insight into the asteroid’s structure, composition, trajectory and rotation in response to external forces, among other valuable information. The spacecraft’s antenna, being the communications lifeline between the events unfolding live in space and the scientists on earth, is therefore critical for the success of the historic mission.
HPS’s X-band module is a custom-designed horn antenna made from a high-strength yet lightweight aluminum alloy, offering excellent radiation and gain characteristics. For HPS, drawing on experience from previous major antenna projects such as the Euclid, Heinrich Hertz and ESA’s HERA asteroid rendezvous missions, this antenna falls within a well-established field of technology.
“It is fantastic to be part of this exceptional mission, and it is an honor that our antenna will transmit these highly fascinating data back to Earth. Images of the asteroid, perhaps even with Earth in the background, will be seen around the world,” said Ernst K. Pfeiffer, HPS’ CEO.
“It is great that Germany decided to participate in this mission as this now enables SMEs to contribute their high-tech capabilities as well. I am pleased to further expand now our cooperation with the prime contractor OHB Italia.”
With the contract now in place and the antenna concept defined during the preliminary phases, the industrial partners are moving into the detailed design and manufacturing of the Ramses flight hardware. Next year, these components will undergo environmental and functional testing to ensure they are fit for launch and for operation in deep space.
“This contract further consolidates the cooperation between OHB Italia and HPS GmbH on advanced space systems,” added Roberto Aceti, CEO of OHB Italia. “The Medium Gain Antenna is an important element of the RAMSES mission communication chain and its development reflects the value of specialized European industrial capabilities in support of complex exploration missions.”
A joint ESA and Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission, the European Agency had contracted OHB Italia in October 2024 to begin preparatory work on the Ramses mission to Apophis and kickstart the procurement process for certain time-critical or long-lead equipment.
