SWISSto12 Selects HPS/LSS for Deployable Antenna on GEO D2D Mission
SWISSto12 has awarded a major contract to a German consortium including HPS High Performance Space Structure Systems GmbH (HPS) and Large Space Structures GmbH (LSS) to supply a large deployable reflector subsystem for its NEASTAR-1 mission, marking a significant step for European-built GEO communications infrastructure.
The reflector will be deployed on the HummingSat platform and is designed to enable what the companies describe as the first direct-to-device (D2D) media broadcasting capabilities from geostationary orbit. The subsystem builds on more than 15 years of development under programmes led by the European Space Agency and supported by national and EU funding initiatives.
Deployable antenna reflectors are critical for GEO systems, allowing large apertures to be compactly stowed during launch and then unfurled in orbit. This enables higher gain, improved coverage and increased capacity, key requirements for extending D2D services from GEO, where link budgets are significantly more challenging than in low Earth orbit.
The contract strengthens SWISSto12’s industrial footprint in Germany, adding to a growing network of European suppliers supporting its HummingSat programme and broader multi-orbit payload strategy.