Defence, access to space, and orbital infrastructure: the themes shaping SmallSat Europe 2026

SmallSat Europe 2026 is organised by SatNews Events and will take place from 26 to 28 May at RAI Amsterdam. The conference covers developments across the European small satellite industry across three tracks: business, defence, and technical.

The full programme is now live, and the agenda offers a useful snapshot of where the sector’s attention currently sits. Several themes run consistently across all three tracks: sovereign launch capabilities, dual-use technologies, resilient infrastructure, scalable manufacturing, and the growing role of software and data processing in orbit. More than 314 speakers are expected across the three days, alongside a technical programme featuring 140 papers and presentations.

Defence moves further into the mainstream

One of the clearest developments in this year’s programme is how thoroughly defence and security topics have become part of the broader conversation, rather than a separate strand running alongside it.

The defence track covers protected communications, ISR capabilities, AI in space operations, resilient infrastructure, responses to orbital threats, and the use of commercial imagery. Speakers include representatives from the German Federal Ministry of Defence, the EU Agency for the Space Programme, OHB System AG, and SES Space & Defense. Several sessions focus specifically on lessons from the war in Ukraine and the role commercial space has played there, now four years in.

A dedicated panel on dual-use technology and another on buying commercial services during wartime reflect how seriously the European industry is taking the operational dimension of what it builds.

Launch access and European autonomy remain central

Launch continues to dominate discussions across the business and defence agendas.

Sessions feature Isar Aerospace, PLD Space, Avio, Rocket Lab, and Exolaunch, covering launch options, European access to space, supply chains, and manufacturing capacity. The IRIS² programme appears throughout, particularly in discussions on connectivity infrastructure and multi-orbit systems, reflecting how large institutional programmes are now shaping commercial smallsat strategies.

The conversation shifts toward what happens after deployment

A significant portion of the programme focuses not on satellites themselves but on the infrastructure developing around them.

Orbital data centres, software-defined payloads, optical communications, hybrid ground segments, in-orbit computing, and active debris removal all feature across the business and technical tracks. Sessions on quantum communications and Very Low Earth Orbit systems point toward the next generation of orbital services. The overall picture is of an industry increasingly oriented around processing, interoperability, servicing, and connectivity rather than hardware alone.

Technical programme and exhibition

The technical programme runs in parallel with the business and defence stages, with engineers and researchers presenting flight data, mission results, and technology demonstrations. Topics include Earth observation, spacecraft manufacturing, mobility systems, AI applications, communications technologies, and radiation hardening.

The exhibition floor is expected to host more than 200 exhibitors from over 40 countries, alongside a matchmaking programme for companies, investors, suppliers, and institutional actors.

Amsterdam and the Netherlands’ role in European space

The location reflects the Netherlands’ position within the sector. Amsterdam provides direct international access through Schiphol Airport and sits close to ESTEC, ESA’s largest technical centre in Noordwijk.

Groundstation.space will attend SmallSat Europe 2026 as press and provide coverage from Amsterdam throughout the week.