CNES is the French Space Agency; Skynopy was set up in 2023 and provides ground station services and satellite connectivity
Skynopy, “a leading provider of ground station services and satellite connectivity solutions”, and the French Space Agency (CNES), have signed a partnership agreement. Its purpose is to optimise frequency allocation for Skynopy’s ground stations.
As part of this agreement, CNES will provide its expertise to support Skynopy in frequency declaration and allocation processes with the French National Frequency Agency (ANFR) when deploying antennas in France. Spectrum management is a critical strategic challenge: each new site deployed worldwide must obtain landing rights from national authorities which can be a complex and time-consuming without the right institutional support.
The plan is that the partnership will streamline and accelerate these procedures, reducing approval timelines and improving technical conditions for spectrum usage, Skynopy can accelerate the commissioning of new sites and strengthen its market position which benefits its satellite clients.
Technical supporter and shareholder
CNES and Skynopy have worked together since the latter was set up in 2023, first with CNES acting as a technical and institutional partner. CNES supported Skynopy through technology development contracts focused on the promise of Ka-band for Ground Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) solutions. This work enabled Skynopy to structure its technical roadmap around virtualised modem operations and refine its network architecture to meet the requirements of high-throughput LEO missions.
Later CNES became a shareholder through the SpaceFounders programme. This is the European startup accelerator for space, created by CNES with the Bundeswehr University of Munich and the Italian Space Agency
Quentin Robert, Managing Director France, SpaceFounders by CNES, explains,“Skynopy perfectly embodies what we aim to support through SpaceFounders: a top-tier founding team, outstanding execution, and real commercial traction in under two years.
“The speed at which Skynopy is deploying its global network, securing major clients, and raising funds is exceptional in the space industry. Our investment reflects our conviction that Skynopy has all the assets to become a European leader in the ground segment.”
Two years and counting
In less than two years, Skynopy has deployed 17 operational sites across all continents, operates satellites for around ten clients – including major European players such as Airbus Defence & Space (Pléiades Neo) – and raised €15 million. Recent contracts with Airbus D&S and numerous NewSpace players highlight Skynopy’s ability to support a wide range of missions, from Earth observation and space surveillance to in-orbit demonstration.
This rapid commercial traction confirms the relevance of its model: a fully virtualized ground station network combined with centralized orchestration, drastically reducing integration time and costs for satellite operators.
Pierre Bertrand, CEO and co-founder of Skynopy, concludes, “This partnership with CNES goes far beyond a frequency management agreement: it symbolizes a deep, long-term relationship between the French space agency and a NewSpace player that shares the same ambitions for sovereignty and technological excellence. From our first R&D contracts to today, CNES has helped us move faster, further, and more robustly. Together, we are demonstrating that it is possible to build a credible European alternative to major GSaaS players.”
