Airbus considers selling its US space business to focus on European partnership

In a move that could redraw the map of its space activities, European aerospace giant Airbus is considering selling its US space business as it seeks to focus its efforts on a European partnership with Thales and Leonardo to counter growing competition in the space sector.

The Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing informed sources, that Airbus is exploring potential buyers for its US space division, which includes a manufacturing plant in Florida and a fleet of small "Artemis" satellites, targeting clients in commercial, corporate, and national security sectors.

In January 2024, Airbus became the sole owner of Airbus OneWeb Satellites and the satellite manufacturing plant on Merritt Island, Florida, after acquiring U.S. satellite operator U.S. Satellite Launch Company’s 50% stake in the joint venture.

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The company stated that Airbus OneWeb Satellites, founded in 2016, has produced more than 600 communications satellites for low Earth orbit for the first generation of the OneWeb constellation.

According to the Financial Times, sales from these operations are estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Airbus, like several other European companies operating in the space sector, has faced significant challenges in its space activities, particularly in communications satellites. The group recorded charges totaling 1.3 billion euros on its space programs in 2024, including 300 million euros in the fourth quarter.

Following these difficulties, Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo have decided to pool their efforts to enhance their competitiveness against US-based SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, as well as competing Chinese firms.