ESA Phi-Lab Austria on Track for Success

Schwechat, October 14, 2026 – The ESA Phi-Lab Austria at Vienna International Airport is set to continue, and all necessary steps are currently being planned. This will allow us to build on our success in bringing highly innovative space technologies from the prototype stage to industrial production and the international market more quickly.

“By continuing the ESA Phi-Lab Austria, we are creating long-term prospects for highly innovative space projects from Austria and Europe. At the same time, we are strengthening Lower Austria as a center for research, technology, and business, and consistently expanding the Space Hub at Vienna International Airport,” emphasizes Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner. “Our goal is clear: research should lead to applications, good ideas to successful products, and these, in turn, to added value and highly skilled jobs.”

ESA Phi-Lab Austria opened in 2024 as Europe’s first ESA Phi-Lab and has quickly developed into an important center for the industrialization of European space technologies. Four rounds of calls for proposals yielded more than 150 submissions from across Europe. Thirteen high-tech projects have been accepted into the program so far, and more than 75 new jobs have been created at the site. Three projects—GATE Space, R-Space, and Peak Technology—have already successfully completed the program.

"Space research is part of our everyday lives: in cell phone navigation, in weather reports, and in flood warnings for fire departments and emergency services. That is why my ministry has invested around 10 million euros in the ESA Phi-Lab Austria. Here, Austrian companies are developing exactly this technology and building it themselves, rather than purchasing it at great expense from abroad. And this has also created more than 75 well-paid jobs. That’s taxpayer money put to good use, because in the end, everyone benefits,” emphasizes Federal Minister Peter Hanke.

The “Industrialization by Design” approach will remain a central focus in the coming years. Even during the development of new technologies, consideration is given to how systems can be standardized, designed with a modular structure, and later produced in small industrial batches. The Space Factory, which opened in 2026, offers development, prototyping, and testing infrastructure directly on-site, thereby complementing the offerings of the ESA Phi-Lab Austria.

“As an Austrian, I am proud of what is being created here. At the Phi-Lab, research, companies, and investors come together to turn good ideas into real technologies and new businesses. This is exactly what Europe needs to do better now: not just develop ideas, but bring them to market faster and help them grow. Austria is showing how it’s done. And with the extension through 2031, we can build on exactly that,” says Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The momentum at the site is also reflected in the growing number of companies and projects. Ten aerospace companies are now based at the Space Hub. With ORION-AI and IP-MASS, additional projects are coming directly to the Vienna International Airport-Schwechat site. ORION-AI, developed by LeoTrek AI and R-Space, is creating a standardized platform for AI-based data processing directly on board satellites. IP-MASS, a project by Horizon Microtechnologies and Fraunhofer Austria, combines 3D printing and metallization to produce lightweight shielding housings that can be manufactured automatically and more cost-effectively. The “Tempus Porta” industry alliance aims to pool the expertise of GATE Space and TTTech with the goal of developing and building complete satellite platforms in Austria in the future.

“Space research puts our country at the forefront and generates not only new knowledge but also concrete solutions to the challenges of our time. Technologies developed in space today will be applied in our everyday lives tomorrow. With the ESA Phi-Lab Austria and the Space Hub in Schwechat, we are strengthening Lower Austria as an international hub for future technologies while also contributing to Europe’s technological independence,” said Stephan Pernkopf, Deputy Governor and State Councilor for Science.

“New technologies and a high-performance infrastructure are prerequisites for attracting investment, creating high-quality jobs, and further developing Austria as a hub for innovation. The Space Hub at Vienna International Airport in Schwechat is a prime example of this. International accessibility, modern infrastructure, and proximity to other innovative companies create synergies and clear locational advantages. The continuation of the ESA Phi-Lab Austria provides additional momentum and will enable new businesses to establish themselves here. We are prepared for this growth: With the construction of the new Office Park 4 NEXT, we are already creating additional office space and thus room for the further expansion of AirportCity,” added Vienna Airport Executive Board Member Günther Ofner.

Austrian Space Days: About 600 Participants

The first Austrian Space Days at Vienna International Airport provided the setting for the announcement that the ESA Phi-Lab Austria would continue its operations. About 600 participants from the space sector, industry, research, business, and the startup scene made the event a great success. Under the theme “Industrialization by Design,” international experts discussed how the space sector is evolving from a heavily research-driven field into a scalable industry with new production methods, platform architectures, and business models. The Austrian Space Days specifically bring together research, industry, and entrepreneurship.

Due to its great success, the Austrian Space Days will take place again in 2027.

“The tremendous response shows that we’ve struck a chord with this format. The Austrian Space Days bring together exactly the people needed for successful innovation: scientists, companies, startups, and international partners. These connections are expected to lead to collaborations and concrete projects. That’s why we’re very pleased to be continuing the Austrian Space Days next year,” emphasize the representatives of the participating institutions.

With the ESA Phi-Lab Austria, the Space Factory, the growing Space Hub, and the Austrian Space Days, Vienna International Airport is establishing itself as an increasingly internationally visible center for space technology. The site now covers the entire development chain—from project development, financing, intellectual property rights, and market analyses to prototype manufacturing, integration, and testing. The goal for the coming years is to attract further innovative projects and companies to Lower Austria, bring technologies to market more quickly, and thereby contribute to Europe’s technological sovereignty and competitiveness.

Press Contacts:

accent Incubator/ESA Phi-Lab-Austria:
Beatrice Wiesgram, weisgram@tecnet.at
Phone: 0676 83086310

Office of Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner:
Andreas Csar, andreas.csae@noel.gv.at
Phone: 0676 81212253