Strengthening existing partnerships, forging new connections, and experiencing an impressive diversity of innovations, projects, and future visions

This year, we once again had the great pleasure of attending Space Tech Expo 2025 – one of the most important events in the European space and technology sector.

Through numerous inspiring discussions and valuable insights, we were able not only to deepen existing collaborations but also to establish new connections.

Highlights of the showcased projects

Among the wide range of innovative projects, solutions, and companies presented at Space Tech Expo, we would like to especially highlight the following:

APPARILLiO Staring Unit at DLR

At the DLR booth, visitors had the opportunity to experience the APPARILLiO Staring Unit live this year.

Developed as a research project for an integrated system to monitor near-Earth orbit, APPARILLiO impressively demonstrates how clever optics and intelligent data processing can significantly enhance Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

Earlier this year, we successfully licensed the system from DLR, marking another major milestone in our collaboration. (Webservatory® APPARILLIO Project with DLR)

SOFA Lasercom Module

Another highlight was our visit to our partner Baader Planetarium, where we took a closer look at the SOFA Lasercom Module – developed by DLR.

The Small Optical Ground Station Focal-optics Assembly (SOFA) is a cost-efficient instrument that enhances standard telescope optics and transforms astronomical observatories and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) telescopes into optical ground stations. Particularly impressive are the system’s precision and compactness, as well as the clear vision of how laser communication will play a key role in future satellite communications.

This development clearly demonstrates how close collaboration between industry and research can set new standards in space-based communications.

A day full of inspiration and new opportunities

We are looking forward to the next steps – several promising projects are already in preparation.

A heartfelt thank-you to Space Tech Expo for the excellent organization and for providing such a valuable platform for exchange, networking, and innovation.