SpaceTech and ESA Sign Contract for the LISA Laser System

High-ranking representatives from politics, science, and the space industry gather in Immenstaad for the signing ceremony

Immenstaad at Lake Constance, July 9, 2026 – SpaceTech GmbH and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed the contract today in Immenstaad for the LISA Laser System (LLS), a key component of the future ESA LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission. The formal signing ceremony marks an important milestone for SpaceTech, the German and European space sectors, and for international research in the field of gravitational waves. The event took place in the presence of numerous high-ranking representatives from politics, science, and the space industry.

Guests included, among others, Thomas Reiter, Head of the Space and Security Division at the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, Carole Mundell, ESA’s Director of Science, and Guido Müller, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute). Other representatives from ESA, DLR, OHB, and regional institutions were also attending the event.

LISA will be the first space mission capable of measuring gravitational waves in the low-frequency range from space. Using three satellites flying millions of kilometers apart, the mission aims to gain previously unattainable insights into the origin and evolution of the universe. The LISA Laser System is one of the mission’s key technological components, enabling high-precision distance measurements between the satellites.

“With this contract, SpaceTech is taking on a new role in the space industry: that of an instrument prime for the most demanding satellite missions,” explains Wolfgang Pitz, CEO of SpaceTech GmbH. The company’s participation in the LISA program underscores its long-standing expertise in high-precision space systems and strengthens Germany’s position in the European space sector.

During the event, guests also gained insights into SpaceTech’s development and manufacturing capabilities. In addition to tours of the solar array factory and the cleanroom areas, the company’s current activities in the field of optical instruments and scientific payloads were presented.

With the launch of the LISA Laser System, the next phase of development is now beginning for a key instrument in a mission designed to fundamentally expand our understanding of the universe. At the same time, the project demonstrates the power of European collaboration among space agencies, research institutions, and industry partners.