Calepin des entreprises international 2026 VA.pdf — page 163

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OHB
Business trends
	
 OHB revenues fell by nearly 13% in 2024 to €1.03 billion. However, the group’s sales value declined by only 
4.4% over the year, mainly due to delivery delays. The Space Systems and Aerospace divisions were the 
most affected by these delays. Margins also contracted, penalised by costs related to the group’s internal 
transformation programme.
	
 Since acquiring a stake in the summer of 2024, the U.S.-based investment firm KKR has held nearly 29% of all 
OHB shares. The Fuchs family remains the majority shareholder with nearly two-thirds of the shares.
	
 In March 2025, OHB created a subsidiary in Bristol (United Kingdom), in particular to strengthen its ties with 
local players in the sector (ESA, UK Space Agency, Space West, etc.). The site will employ up to 50 engineers.
Home market
	
 OHB is a key supplier to the European Space Agency (ESA), its largest customer, and to Germany (SARLupe/ 
SARah, Heinrich Hertz, EnMAP satellite programmes, etc.). The group also supplies around 10% of the 
structures and components of the Ariane 6 launcher. In September 2025, its MT Aerospace subsidiary 
signed a contract with ArianeGroup to supply tanks and structural elements for the main and upper stages of 
Ariane 6 for flights 16 to 42 of the launcher.
	
 OHB is a partner in the SpaceRISE consortium, which is responsible for deploying the future European IRIS² 
constellation by 2030. The group plans to act as one of the main subcontractors (alongside Thales Alenia 
Space) for the production of the 18 medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites, which will be supplied and operated 
by SES.
	
 In January 2025, ESA awarded OHB System a €175.5 million contract for the production of the third satellite for 
the Copernicus CO2M (Sentinel-7) mission, whose payload will be supplied by Thales Alenia Space. The first 
two satellites are under construction, with launch scheduled for 2027.
	
 In February 2025, OHB System signed a contract with ESA to launch the next A/B1 phase of the OpSTAR 
(Optical Synchronized Time And Ranging) programme. OHB is leading a consortium of around 30 players 
to develop optical inter-satellite links, reducing dependence on ground stations and on-board atomic clocks, 
while improving satellite navigation systems.
	
 In June 2025, OHB started construction of the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) constellation for 
ESA, under an €839 million contract. In partnership with Thales Alenia Space, the group will supply three 
satellites designed to detect gravitational waves, scheduled for launch in 2035 by Ariane 6.
	
 Following the failure of the maiden flight of its RFA One mini-launcher in August 2024, the Rocket Factory 
Augsburg subsidiary is preparing a new launch at the end of 2025 from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland.
Export markets
	
 In February 2025, Canadian company MDA Space selected OHB System to supply the satellite control 
software and operational simulator to ensure the deployment of the Telesat Lightspeed constellation (nearly 
200 satellites to be launched from 2026 onwards).
	
 The NAOS (National Advanced Optical System) satellite, Luxembourg’s first observation satellite produced by 
OHB Italia, was launched in August 2025 by SpaceX. The data collected can be used for military and civilian 
applications by Luxembourg and allied countries.
Technology and Innovation
	
 The group’s total R&D expenditure reached €25.7 million in 2024, representing 2.5% of revenues.
	
 OHB is part of the consortium in charge of the European METASAT (Modular Model-Based Design and Testing 
for Applications in Satellites) project, which was finalised in February 2025 after two years of development. 
The research work focuses on the design and testing of complex satellites (using digital twins and AI).
STRATEGIC HIGHLIGHTS