Berlin, September 24th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – The US company Planet Labs plans to begin building satellites in Germany starting this fall, establishing what will become its second full production site worldwide after San Francisco.
All manufacturing and testing of the satellites will take place in Berlin, said Martin Polak, the managing director of Planet Labs’ German operations. He was quoted by German-language media.
60 Satellites a Year
The first satellite built in Berlin is expected to be completed before the end of the year, Polak said. Eventually, the new facility could be expanded to produce up to 60 satellites annually. The company did not disclose the exact size of its investment, but indicated that the figure would exceed eight digits. Planet Labs currently employs nearly 150 people at its Berlin office, a number the company plans to increase by another 70.
Satellites like the ones planned for production in Berlin deliver data on weather patterns, climate change and military installations. Such technology has played a significant role in the war in Ukraine. According to Planet Labs, the so-called Pelican satellites to be built in Berlin will provide high-resolution imagery for Earth observation.
Clients Across Europe
Asked about the potential influence of the US government and American authorities over sensitive data, Planet Labs offered a reassuring response. “For more than ten years, we have served government clients across Europe without difficulty”, Polak said. “Our goal is to reduce dependencies wherever they matter most for European clients and to strengthen their operational resilience and control in Europe.”
He said this would be achieved in part through satellite production in Berlin, mission operations run from Germany, European ground stations and data storage on European cloud infrastructure.
