Planet Labs cut the ribbon on a new satellite factory in Berlin, and CEO Will Marshall laid out a clear timeline. The Berlin site will roll out its first satellite before year end, with a plan to fly that Germany-built spacecraft on a German-made rocket in early next year. Marshall also said the company has a contract with German launch startup Isar Aerospace to secure launchers for the beginning of 2027.
He pointed to fresh momentum in Europe's launch scene too. This month, Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket launched from Norway and delivered satellites to orbit, a milestone as the inaugural privately run orbital mission originating from continental Europe.
Marshall framed the move bluntly: "That is important for both the economy and security of Germany and the wider Europe." He said their imagery has given Ukraine an information edge and added, "We are starting to provide that sort of data to other countries in Europe and to NATO, including monitoring the Baltic for illegal hybrid vessel activities."
He noted the company's scale as well. To date, Planet Labs has put 688 satellites into space using 42 rockets, a tally that he said places the company second worldwide in orbital fleet size, trailing only SpaceX. Until now, all of those satellites were built in California, and Berlin is the first major step to build more of that capability in Europe.
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The Berlin factory targets an output of up to 60 satellites a year from 2027. The company says €100 million has been committed to the Berlin site and other locations in Europe, and that about 40% of its revenue is generated from European customers.
Germany's Economy Minister Katherina Reiche applauded the speed at which Planet Labs moved, noting it took just 12 months from announcement to opening. She underscored the strategic angle, saying, "Aside from technology and job creation, it's about national security and technological sovereignty of our country," and, "Russia is threatening Germany on a daily basis. We must have the capacity to monitor earth from space independently."
For everyday investors, this is Europe pressing to build and launch its own hardware, not just buy rides from others. A local build-and-launch pipeline can shorten timelines, reduce supply risk and keep more value on the continent. If Planet hits its 2027 production pace and Isar's rockets keep flying, that could mean more frequent imaging updates for customers and a stickier European revenue base.
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