Belgian SME leading European space robotics consortia — from lunar exploration and in-orbit servicing to underwater autonomous vehicles.
Space Applications Services (SPACEAPPS) is a Belgian SME specializing in space robotics, in-orbit servicing, and autonomous systems for extreme environments. They design and integrate robotic platforms for lunar exploration, orbital spacecraft assembly, and underwater survey operations. Their core business spans mission operations support, data fusion for space robotics, and commercial experiment services aboard the International Space Station. They bridge the gap between space technology development and operational deployment, frequently leading EU-funded consortia to bring robotic systems from concept to demonstration.
Led LUVMI/LUVMI-X for lunar volatiles instrumentation and PRO-ACT for planetary assembly robots; contributed to CoRob-X, PULSAR, SIROM, and InFuse for space robotic manipulation and cooperation.
Coordinated MOSAR for modular spacecraft reconfiguration (EUR 1.4M); participated in EROSS for orbital refueling/debris removal and PERIOD for in-orbit demonstration of space robotics.
Coordinated DexROV for dexterous ROV operations; participated in ENDURUNS for long-endurance AUV with hydrogen fuel cells and ATLANTIS for maritime robotics testing.
Participated in EOPEN for Earth observation data platforms, EUHFORIA_2.0 for heliospheric forecasting, and 7SHIELD for security of space ground segments and Copernicus data.
Contributed to RegoLight for solar sintering of lunar regolith and ADDOPTML for machine-learning-optimized additively manufactured structures.
Coordinated ICE Cubes (EUR 2.3M), their largest single project, establishing a commercial experiment platform on the International Space Station.
In the early period (2015–2018), SPACEAPPS focused on lunar surface technology (sintering regolith, lunar volatiles instruments) and underwater robotics (dexterous ROVs, hydrogen-powered AUVs), alongside launching their ISS commercial experiment service. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward in-orbit servicing — spacecraft assembly, modular reconfiguration, debris removal, and cooperative robotics for extreme environments. This evolution reflects a move from exploration-oriented surface missions to operational space infrastructure, with growing investment in autonomous systems that can build, service, and maintain assets in orbit.
SPACEAPPS is positioning itself as a go-to integrator for in-orbit servicing robotics and autonomous space infrastructure assembly — a market expected to grow substantially as commercial satellite servicing becomes viable.
SPACEAPPS operates as both a project leader and a reliable consortium partner, coordinating 7 out of 20 projects (35%) — a high rate for an SME. With 149 unique partners across 25 countries, they maintain a broad and diverse network rather than relying on a few repeat collaborators. This suggests they are adaptable, well-regarded in the European space robotics community, and comfortable both steering technical direction and contributing specialized components within larger teams.
They have built one of the wider SME networks in European space robotics, collaborating with 149 distinct partners across 25 countries. Their reach spans the major European space-faring nations as well as marine technology hubs, reflecting their dual space-ocean expertise.
SPACEAPPS stands out as one of the few European SMEs that can credibly lead space robotics consortia — not just contribute components. Their unusual combination of space and underwater autonomous systems expertise gives them a cross-domain perspective on robotics in extreme environments that few competitors can match. For consortium builders, they bring both technical depth in robotic integration and proven project management capacity, making them a strong coordinator candidate for missions involving autonomous operations in harsh, remote conditions.
