Planet Opens State-of-the-Art Satellite Manufacturing in Berlin

Business

Planet Opens State-of-the-Art Satellite Manufacturing in Berlin

2026-09-22 17:02 Last Updated At：17:10

BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 22, 2026--

Planet LabsGmbH, a leading provider of daily data and insights about change on Earth, today welcomed Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy for Germany, to open its state-of-the-art satellite manufacturing facility in Berlin. Having been announced less than a year ago, Planet has achieved facility handover and cleanroom fit-out and is scheduled to commence production of its 300 kg class, 30-cm resolution class Pelican™ satellites this autumn. The first satellite is scheduled to be complete before the end of the year, and the facility will be able to scale to up to 60 satellites per year. The facility further establishes Berlin as a major European hub for advanced aerospace manufacturing and production, accelerating high-tech job growth and Europe’s sovereign Earth observation capabilities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260922048020/en/

The new location in Berlin’s Mitte district brings increased capacity for satellites to Europe. Planet provides sovereign satellites services for countries and, moreover, can launch them fast. For example, Planet was awarded a German-funded contract to deliver dedicated satellite capacity in support of European peace and security within 2 months of contract signature, and with Sweden similarly its first sovereign satellite within 4 months, accelerating their programme 4 years. With these added manufacturing capabilities, Planet intends to not just deliver for Europe, but from Europe.

"Today I’m thrilled to give a first look at Planet’s world-class manufacturing center and the future of Planet in Berlin, Germany, and Europe," said Will Marshall, Co-Founder and CEO of Planet. "Planet has built and successfully launched 688 satellites in 15 years, second in the world in total satellites – and we’re bringing that manufacturing prowess here. This will enable Europe to quickly gain the capacity to build scaled earth observation satellite fleets to advance Europe’s critical goals from sustainability to security – to give Europe its own eyes on threats.”

"Europe needs its own eyes in space. In an age of strategic rivalry and growing uncertainty, satellite intelligence is no longer a luxury—it is a prerequisite for security, resilience and genuine strategic autonomy. Germany has the scientific depth, industrial strength and dynamic space ecosystem to become a European anchor for this capability. Planet's investment in Berlin is more than a vote of confidence in the city: it helps turn Europe's ambition for sovereign access to space-based intelligence into operational reality,” said Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy.

“When Planet makes a commitment, we deliver on it," said Martin Polak, Managing Director of Planet Labs Germany. "Less than one year after announcing our vision for a satellite facility in Berlin, we will soon begin production. Europe needs rapid, independent access to sovereign space capabilities to navigate an increasingly complex security and economic landscape. On behalf of Planet in Germany, I could not be more excited and honored to be making this investment and commitment here in Berlin, continuing Planet’s long history of partnership and innovation in Europe."

The 5,700-square-meter facility will serve as a cornerstone of Planet's contributions to European technological advancement in space, addressing the region's growing demand for localized, resilient aerospace innovation and defense solutions. Berlin has been Planet’s base in Europe for over 10 years, serving as a major technical hub with a mission operations center coordinating Planet’s global fleet of hundreds of satellites, software development, imagery processing, and quality control. In addition to satellite production, Planet’s new facility will house other corporate functions such as mission operations, IT, legal, marketing, HR, and sales, among others. Satellites will be built, tested, and shipped from one location, reducing the path from parts to orbit.

Planet will grow the team significantly, adding 70 employees to its existing team of nearly 150 in Berlin.

The first Berlin-built Pelican satellites completed this year are scheduled to be launched on an Isar Aerospace Spectrum launch vehicle in early 2027 – enabling a new first for Germany. This new facility further grows Planet’s European footprint and strengthens the company’s ties with its longstanding German customers and partners, including the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG).

Planet maintains a strong and growing presence in Europe, home to over 30% of its global workforce with offices in Berlin, Haarlem, Ljubljana, Graz and London. Berlin serves as Planet's primary base of operations in Europe. Planet's ground station network across Germany, the UK, Norway, and Iceland downlinks nearly 50% of all satellite data globally. Planet is guided by its European AdvisoryBoard, which helps the company meet the needs of its growing European customer base.

About Planet

Planet Labs Germany GmbH is part of the Planet group and is based at Planet’s European headquarters in Berlin. Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) is the parent company of the Planet group with global headquarters in San Francisco, USA. Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery, and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image the world every day, and make change visible, accessible and actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions to customers comprising the world’s leading agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling users to simply and effectively derive unique value from satellite imagery. Planet Labs PBC is a public benefit corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange as PL. To learn more visit www.planet.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, or tune in to HBO’s ‘ Wild Wild Space ’.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements” about Planet within the meaning of the securities laws, including statements about Planet’s strategic partnerships and Planet’s future growth in new and existing markets. Such statements, which are not of historical fact, involve estimates, assumptions, judgments and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors are detailed in Planet’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Planet does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events, except as required by applicable law.

Mixed martial arts -- without the wire cage and the blood -- bids to make the Olympics

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Mixed martial arts — without the wire cage and with less blood and mayhem — could be coming to the Olympics.

It's a long shot. However, a version of the sport — let's call it “MMA Light” — is being contested at the two-week Asian Games. The campaign to get the sport into the Brisbane Olympics in 2032 is being led by Chinese billionaire Gordon Tang.

“We have developed a rule set specifically focused on the safety and well-being of athletes, and aligned with Olympic values,” Tang said. “The debut of MMA at the Asian Games is an important step in that journey.”

Tang heads the Federation of International Mixed Martial Arts, one of many groups lobbying to represent a very fractured global sport.

Removing the cage is a must for any chance to gain entry. But cage or no cage, it's a rough road to get the approval of the International Olympic Committee.

“We think without the cage we will have a better alignment with the Olympic values and hopefully recognition from the IOC,” Galastein Tan, the director general of the FIMMA, told The Associated Press.

First, the IOC would have to approve a governing body of the sport — there are many — and then Brisbane organizers would have to put it on their schedule.

So far the Australians have not announced what sports they might add and, of course, it's too late to get into the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

The IOC, in an email to The Associated Press, clarified that as of now “mixed martial arts does not meet ... eligibility criteria” for the Olympics.

The top issue is the sport's violent image. The IOC has had issues with violence depicted in esports, so that rub is clear.

This version at the Asian Games looks more like judo or boxing, set on an open mat. No wire cage. Both men and women fight, and there are two styles — traditional with more grappling and modern with more striking.

Safety measures include: no elbows can be thrown; contestants wear small gloves and shin pads; no knees or kicks to the head are allowed when a fighter is on the ground.

“It takes time to change a perception,” Tan said. “We hope to be able to share that there is a new from of MMA, and this form is more aligned with the Olympics.”

Alex Engelhardt, the executive vice president of FIMMA, suggested this was an attempt to bring MMA into the “normal” range of sports and concentrate less on spectacle.

“It's very challenging in the sense that the whole mind set in the sport is so focused on promotions,” Engelhardt said. He might have been referring to a UFC fight three months ago on the grounds of the White House.

Tan argues that MMA could be a draw for the IOC as it tries to stay relevant with new sports. MMA is popular, youth oriented, and would not require any unique venue construction. It could share venues with other combat sports.

However, that could be a negative. MMA is yet another combat sports and the Olympics already have boxing, wrestling, judo and taekwondo.

“MMA is popular globally, able to engage the fans at a gut level and attract fans at a youth level,” Tan replied.

The FIMMA also has an influential president in Tang, a Chinese billionaire property developer who seems to know his way around the IOC. His biography, offered by FIMMA, lists him with “more than a decade of senior roles within the Olympic Movement.”

He is also a vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

Tang lauded the sport as having a “strong place in the Olympic movement because it brings together athletes from different martial arts backgrounds.”

Tan said Tang had already talked with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, and also met her this week at the Asian Games.

“I would like to say we are not in the preliminary stage (with the IOC)” Tan said. “We are in advanced stages.”

“There will be different fans,” Tan added. “Those who love MMA in a cage and fans who love MMA in the open field of play. Not that one is wrong or one is the right way. For us we are very clear that the focus is for the sport to be in the Olympics.”

—-

AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham contributed to this report.

See full AP coverage of Asian sports here