Horizon Microtechnologies, a company based in Karlsruhe, Germany, is preparing to scale up its metallised polymer micro-additive manufacturing platform so it can support production for satellite constellations. The company was selected by the European Space Agency's Phi-Lab, a move described as strengthening the push to industrialise its technology.
The scale-up effort is named IP-MASS and is designed to run for two years. It is funded with €500,000. The company announced the project on September 29, 2026, framing it as a step toward producing components at constellation scale rather than in small prototype batches.
The reporting, published by SpaceNews, places the announcement within a broader effort to turn advanced micro-manufacturing into a practical route for building the large numbers of hardware that modern satellite networks require. Selection by the Phi-Lab programme signals institutional backing for that transition, though it does not by itself guarantee commercial volumes.
Several details remain unclear. The available information does not specify the production rates Horizon Microtechnologies is aiming for, the size of the constellations it hopes to serve, or which customers are involved. The reporting also does not describe the full terms of the ESA selection. Further information from the company or the agency would be needed to assess how quickly the platform could move from development to volume manufacturing.
Credit. Based on reporting by Horizon Microtechnologies for SpaceNews. Is this your work? Write to us.
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