Unseenlabs is regularly talked about. The last time was at the end of February, with the announcement of a record fundraising of €85 million to enable the SME of Cesson-Sévigné (35), near Rennes, to continue to launch satellites and keep a step ahead in the space sector.
Until now, the Breton nugget, founded in 2015 by brothers Clément and Jonathan Galic, has focused on the launch of nanosatellites no bigger than a large shoebox and weighing 10 to 15 kg. Their usage ? Maritime surveillance by radio frequency, in particular to track illegal fishing or trafficking at sea. Thirteen have been placed in orbit. The last two were launched on March 4 by SpaceX from the Vandenberg Space Center in California; four others should join them by the end of the year, the objective being to have a constellation of 25 satellites by the end of 2025.
Between 20 and 25 new satellites
Unseenlabs now wants to go further. The company announces the upcoming launch of new satellites starting in 2026. They will be larger than the previous ones, since they will each weigh 150 kg. “This new fleet is designed to monitor a wider range of emissions across the board,” explains Unseenlabs. Speaking to Le Télégramme, Clément Gallic specifies that “this is a new generation of satellites, with the same technology but on a larger scale. The technology has now reached a stage of maturity which allows us to move on to this stage, which we have had in mind for a long time ». According to the manager, the future constellation should have “around twenty” machines. The first launches are announced for 2026.
Ground Surveillance
With these new satellites, the company wants to perpetuate its presence in space, a satellite having a lifespan of seven to ten years (as a reminder, Unseenlabs’ first nanosatellite was launched in August 2019). It also wants to strengthen its capabilities in the field of maritime surveillance, while opening up to land and space. “On earth, we will be able to follow emissions from devices for the field of defense, telecommunications and other private sectors,” indicates Clément Gallic. The precise applications remain to be determined.
So many new horizons to explore for Unseenlabs, which intends to expand its client portfolio (public authorities, insurers, shipowners, NGOs, etc.) and achieve its financial objective: €100 million in turnover in 2030, compared to around fifteen million in 2023. Profitable, the SME currently employs 70 employees.
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