Telespazio UK Acquires e2E To Increase UK Market Share

Telespazio UK has cemented a deal to acquire space engineering and operations firm, e2E. In a bid to increase their UK market share, Telespazio asserted that the deal will enhance their space domain awareness and Earth monitoring services through e2E’s deep space satellite expertise. 

Telespazio Expands into UK Satellite Market

Telespazio is jointly owned by Leonardo Space and the Thales Group, and forms one half of the ‘Space Alliance’, the other half being Thales Alenia Space. Telespazio itself operates out of Rome, Italy, but the UK arm is based in Luton, England.  

The Space Alliance is set to benefit from e2E’s “integrated defence and space solutions [for] UK customers,” Telespazio said. Mark Hewer, CEO of Telespazio UK, added: “This is a critically important milestone in our plan to help Team UK deliver on the National Space Strategy.”

Acquiring e2E

Telespazio has worked on many collaborative projects with the likes of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Previously, Telespazio has worked on ESA’s and EUMETSAT’s Meteosat – a geostationary orbital satellite that monitors Earth’s severe weather patterns. Their role was to provide launch and in-orbit services. 

With the acquisition concluding, Telespazio said e2E’s “deep satellite communications engineering” will enable greater Earth monitoring capabilities. The deal will also aim to solidify the in-space service provider’s footprint within the UK space sector. Telespazio UK said: “this acquisition provide[s] a huge step forward in [our] journey to make a major impact in helping to deliver the national space strategy.”

Impacting The UK’s National Space Strategy

One of the main goals behind the acquisition is to support the UK’s National Space Strategy. UK ministers outlined that part of that strategy is to use space to combat climate change and lead the sustainability charge on a global front. Additionally, the UK also aims to strengthen their defence capabilities by utilising in-space assets. 

The UK’s National Space Strategy in Action Plan also promises to review Britain’s in-space defence strategy. Equally, the plan commits to developing the country’s long-term approach to national defence through space. 

Seeing as Telespazio boasts capabilities in all three areas, their aim will be to: “draw attention [to] these now enhanced space capabilities,” Hewer said. As such, Hewer added that with e2E’s reputation within the UK space market: “the company will be a high impact factor in delivering services to our commercial customers, government departments and our armed forces.”

Calling On Leonardo & Thales Already Established UK Footprint

Falling under direct ownership of Leonardo Space and the Thales Group, Telespazio UK, alongside e2E, should find their feet relatively quickly. Currently, both Leonardo and the Thales Group collectively employ a 14,000 strong UK workforce. 

They also operate 26 facilities across Britain, and have an annual spend of £1.3 billion, segmented to over 4,000 companies nationally. Similarly, the partnership said they invest over £250 million per year in “research and development” from UK soil.

Telespazio Group CEO, Luigi Pasquali, said the e2E acquisition is a key strategic step in their UK market growth. By capitalising on Thales’ and Leonardo’s already established UK presence, and e2E’s notability: “increasing the capabilities of our UK business will be vital in Telespazio Group’s growth plan. [Thus] enabling high impact space-enabled services and ensuring a sustainable earth and space environment,” Pasquali concluded.