Monaco sets its sights on space

Since 2021, Monaco has had its own Office for Outer Space Affairs, responsible for supporting business development in the sector. The Principality is home to several companies which specialise in manufacturing satellites and space rovers.

With a remit to represent the Principality on international bodies, the Office for Outer Space Affairs has various roles. Established in 2021, it supports the development of businesses operating in this sector and based in the Principality, including by helping to promote international partnerships.

In 2010, SSI-Monaco signed a licensing agreement with the Monaco Government to develop and use the Principality’s orbital position, 52°E, recorded by the International Telecommunication Union. Working with the State, the company developed the MonacoSAT satellite communications project in partnership with Thales Alenia Space-France (TAS).

The first Monegasque telecommunication satellite was launched by Space X in 2015, from Cape Canaveral to a position 36,000 kilometres above the Earth. The satellite provides telecommunication services (telephony, internet and television) for 1.6 billion people.

In addition, Venturi Monaco, specialised in electric vehicles, has also become involved in space exploration. In partnership with Venturi Lab (Switzerland) and Venturi Astrolab (United States), the company is developing mobility technology for the Moon and Mars. Among these technologies are: “batteries and materials that can withstand and operate at extremely low temperatures, solar panels, deformable wheels, electric vehicle control systems and the integration of human factors for planetary rovers.”

In 2023, Venturi presented its non-pressurised, interplanetary FLEX rover (Flexible Logistics and Exploration). The company aims to participate in the human exploration programme of the Moon and Mars known as the Artemis missions. Thanks to an agreement signed in 2023 with Elon Musk’s Space X company, FLEX will head to space in 2026 using Starship, the spacecraft take-off and landing system.