Ibadan, 10 September 2026. – Infinite Orbits and Eutelsat are collaborating to prepare a life-extension mission for at least one of the French operator’s geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites, opening another route for Eutelsat to extend the productive lives of spacecraft already in orbit. The partnership marks a concrete commitment to life extension for the companies, paving the way for a future operational mission.
Infinite Orbits expands its commercial life-extension proposition
The agreement builds on Infinite Orbits’ November 2025 commercial contract with SES for a satellite life-extension mission using its Endurance servicing spacecraft. The collaboration offers the startup the opportunity to expand the compatibility of its in-orbit servicing technology.
Demonstrating that Endurance can operate with different GEO satellite architectures would expand the range of spacecraft that could potentially be serviced, strengthening the company’s commercial proposition as it seeks to scale life-extension services across the GEO market.
Furthermore, the announcement coincides with the expansion of Infinite Orbits’ industrial capacity in Toulouse through a new 1,000 m² Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) facility. The facility is intended to support the development of the company’s next generation of Endurance and Orbit Guard spacecraft, increasing its capacity to prepare multiple missions as it expands its in-orbit servicing activities.
“Opening our new AIT facility in Toulouse was an important step in scaling Infinite Orbits for the missions ahead,” remarked Adel Haddoud, Chief Executive Officer of Infinite Orbits. “Today, with Eutelsat, we are taking the next one. This collaboration brings together new industrial capacity and a concrete mission ambition to extend the life of satellites already in orbit, paving the way for operational life-extension services in the coming years.”
Eutelsat explores greater flexibility in GEO fleet management
On the other hand, the partnership gives Eutelsat another tool for managing the lifecycle of its GEO fleet, potentially allowing the operator to optimize the use and value of its existing in-orbit assets. The proposed services could also give Eutelsat greater flexibility over fleet renewal by allowing selected spacecraft to remain operational for longer, helping maintain service continuity while reducing the pressure to replace assets solely because they are nearing the limits of their initial design lives.
“Extending the operational life of our GEO satellites will enable greater flexibility in managing our fleet helping to maintain continuity of service for our customers and maximize the value of assets already in orbit,” explained Frédéric Piro, Chief Engineering Officer at Eutelsat. “We are delighted to work with Infinite Orbits to explore how in-orbit servicing can advance more sustainable and efficient satellite operations.”
Strengthening Europe’s in-orbit servicing capabilities
The agreement also carries a broader industrial and strategic significance for France and Europe. It demonstrates the strength of the French space ecosystem, while bringing together Eutelsat’s established satellite operations with Infinite Orbits’ emerging in-orbit servicing capabilities for a critical European capability around maintenance and life extension of orbital infrastructure.
The collaboration therefore reflects a broader European effort to integrate established industrial capabilities with emerging NewSpace technologies, while incorporating orbital sustainability into the development and management of space infrastructure.
