Europe · Germany · Shared orbital research platform
ATHENE-1 / SeRANIS orbital research platform
This project focuses on shared orbital research platform.
ATHENE-1 is the UniBw Munich SeRANIS research satellite, built with LuxSpace on Triton-X Heavy and reported launched on October 1, 2026. Its 22 experiments include onboard AI/data processing, autonomous operations and communications research. Launch and initial commissioning do not establish measured AI performance or a commercial compute service.
Universität der Bundeswehr München / LuxSpace · Launched research platform, experiments planned
Scope: Shared computing & storage · Shared research/platform infrastructure for multiple applications and experimenters, without assuming operating commercial service.
Figures retain their disclosed units and scope. Launched hardware does not establish demonstrated performance; targets may change. Not disclosed means no figure in the reviewed sources.
Program organization: Universität der Bundeswehr München
Supplier selected
DLR GSOC provides ground infrastructure for telemetry, commands, monitoring and satellite control.
Ground operations provision, without an inferred numerical link rate or commercial contract value. Additional official funding and dated launch evidence: https://www.unibw.de/home/news/2026/athene-1-unibw-m-startet-eigenen-satelliten-ins-all
Announced 2 Oct 2026 · Evidence checked 1 Nov 2026
Program organization: Universität der Bundeswehr München
Supplier selected
LuxSpace developed and built ATHENE-1 with UniBw Munich using its Triton-X Heavy platform.
Source-attributed platform role. No satellite procurement value or direct legal buyer inferred. Additional official funding and dated launch evidence: https://www.unibw.de/home/news/2026/athene-1-unibw-m-startet-eigenen-satelliten-ins-all
Announced 2 Oct 2026 · Evidence checked 1 Nov 2026
Program organization: Universität der Bundeswehr München
Development agreement
The multifunctional experimental payload was integrated at OHB's Oberpfaffenhofen site.
Named integration role, without an inferred purchase order or contract amount. Additional official funding and dated launch evidence: https://www.unibw.de/home/news/2026/athene-1-unibw-m-startet-eigenen-satelliten-ins-all
Announced 2 Oct 2026 · Evidence checked 1 Nov 2026
Program organization: Universität der Bundeswehr München
Supplier selected
OHB Orbital Access conducted ATHENE-1's launch campaign.
Launch campaign responsibility is distinct from SpaceX launch-vehicle provision. Source publication date, not contract date. Additional official funding and dated launch evidence: https://www.unibw.de/home/news/2026/athene-1-unibw-m-startet-eigenen-satelliten-ins-all
Announced 2 Oct 2026 · Evidence checked 1 Nov 2026
Program organization: Universität der Bundeswehr München
Supplier selected
SpaceX provided Falcon 9 Transporter-18 launch service for ATHENE-1.
Provider and mission identified by operator. No direct university-to-SpaceX procurement agreement or value inferred. Additional official funding and dated launch evidence: https://www.unibw.de/home/news/2026/athene-1-unibw-m-startet-eigenen-satelliten-ins-all
Announced 2 Oct 2026 · Evidence checked 1 Nov 2026
Read a dated mission-specific result or revised flight-test milestone when available.
Manual review 1 Nov 2026. Compared October 2 university and OHB launch releases with prelaunch technical paper and AI-OBC planning source. Recorded the shared research platform, verified launch attribution, current platform/mass and qualified AI/communications architecture. Historical targets remain separate, and no individual experiment result or program-to-spacecraft funding allocation is inferred. Primary body last observed not available. Source monitoring: partial. Source collection and substantive profile review are separate checks. Plans and dates may change.
Numerical AI throughput, selected processor/accelerator, installed RAM/storage and AI/payload power are not established in the read mission-specific sources.
Completion of commissioning, activation/results of individual computing experiments and current operational health remain undisclosed in the inspected launch accounts.
Historical paper mass allocations, alternative orbit cases and 2025 launch target are not the delivered 2026 configuration or tracked orbit.
More than EUR 77 million is the SeRANIS program support envelope, including research beyond one spacecraft. It is not an allocated ATHENE-1 hardware price or a new private financing round.
Project updates
Verified announcements and milestones linked to this project, newest first.
OHB's October 2 release reports ATHENE-1 launched on SpaceX Transporter-18 and reached low Earth orbit. The LuxSpace Triton-X Heavy platform carries 15 payloads for 22 SeRANIS experiments, including AI-assisted onboard processing. UniBw Munich's same-day account dates the launch to October 1 and discloses more than USD 86,024,400 (EUR 77 million) in dtec.bw support for the wider research program.
