HummingSat is developed through an ESA Partnership Project with SWISSto12, a manufacturer of next-gen radio frequency payload technologies for geostationary satellites. Named after the tiny and agile, yet seemingly stationary hummingbird, these small satellites are revolutionising space technology and capturing significant market interest.

HummingSat offers a compact and cost-effective solution for satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) soaring 36 000 km above Earth. Comparable in size to an industrial washing machine and about one-tenth the size of conventional geostationary satellites, they weigh approximately 1000 kg at launch. These compact dimensions make them suitable for rideshare missions, significantly reducing launch costs. They also utilise SWISSto12's unique 3D-printing technology, enhancing payload performance and streamlining the manufacturing process. Despite their small size and lower cost, HummingSat is designed to provide competitive mission capabilities and maintain reliability for 15-year missions in GEO.

Since its unveiling in 2022, the HummingSat project has maintained impressive momentum. Four satellites have been ordered to date: one by Intelsat (IS-45), scheduled for launch in 2026 to support Intelsat's media and network customers, and three by Inmarsat (I-8 series), set to provide global safety services and emergency communications for ships and aircraft from 2026 onwards. The project continues to attract interest, with nine ESA Member States now participating: Austria, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

"HummingSat showcases a successful ESA Partnership Project and European collaboration in commercial satcoms. Established in record time, the project benefits from a dedicated ESA team working closely with SWISSto12, including one of our most experienced engineers embedded with the industrial team in Switzerland,” said Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications. “Following the success of previous Partnership Projects like Neosat and Novacom, HummingSat is poised to generate exceptional return on investment for European and Canadian states participating in the programme.”

“SWISSto12 and its partners have put tremendous efforts into the design and optimisation of HummingSat over the last couple of years. I am delighted of what we have achieved through the completion of our first PDR with a satellite design that combines both innovation, small size and lower cost while enabling competitive mission capabilities and uncompromised reliability for 15-year missions in GEO,” said Emile de Rijk, CEO and Founder of SWISSto12.

As HummingSat continues to evolve, it exemplifies ESA's commitment to working with European industry to push the boundaries of satellite design for global telecommunications.