Munich Startup: What was your main motivation behind founding Vyoma, what made you say, “let’s tackle traffic management in space”?
Stefan Frey, Vyoma: The motivation behind founding Vyoma came from a growing concern about the increasing congestion in space. Today, there are ten thousand active satellites and hundreds of thousands of small space debris orbiting Earth. Even tiny fragments can cause massive damage due to the high orbital velocities. We saw a significant gap in how the industry was dealing with these risks, and we knew we needed to address it. Space traffic management is not just a technical challenge—it’s essential for the future of space exploration and satellite operations. Without a proper solution, the sustainability of space activities is at risk.
Vyoma isn’t just focused on monitoring space; we are infact going a few steps ahead, we aim to completely automate satellite operations. This goes beyond just avoiding collisions—it’s about ensuring the long-term viability of space as a resource for all.
Munich Startup: So the response to your ideas has been positive from the beginning? Where did you find support?
Stefan Frey: From the very beginning, Vyoma received tremendous support from Europe’s vibrant space community. The company quickly became involved in key European initiatives, including projects funded by the European Commission, European Defence Fund and the European Space Agency (ESA). Our commitment to space sustainability struck a chord with organisations that were equally concerned about the growing dangers posed by space debris. This alignment with EU’s strategic goals helped us to build momentum, solidifying our role in advancing solutions to one of space exploration’s most pressing challenges.
Vyoma uses ground-based and future space-based sensors
It has been inspiring to see how many people share our vision for a safer, more sustainable space environment. The relationships we have developed within the ecosystem have not only fuelled our growth but also reinforced the urgency of our work. It also helped us to get the amazing talent on-board that now is driving the developments of our solutions to the next level.
Munich Startup: How exactly does your solution work? Where do you get your data from?
Stefan Frey: Vyoma uses a combination of partner ground-based and (future) proprietary space-based sensors to keep a close watch on the space environment. Our satellites – the first of which will be launched in 2025 – are equipped with optical sensors, providing real-time Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and allowing us to track and map objects in orbit. We process the data into a catalogue of space objects which can be used to predict the space traffic for the days to come. This way, we can enable satellite operators to make quick, informed decisions to avoid potential collisions and adjust orbits as needed.
Better data is also the reason why in the future less avoidance manoeuvres are required, better data means we can predict the collision probability with more confidence. Knowing precisely where two objects are means we can allow for a small miss distance. By additionally taking such and other decisions automatically, we can make satellite operations much more efficient than is possible today.
Additional satellites for a crowded orbit?
Munich Startup: You are also working on your own constellation in space to enrich your services with space-based data. On a first look, it might seem contradictory to add more objects to an already crowded orbit for the sake of controlling the objects in this same orbit. Can you explain why it is necessary to do so?
Stefan Frey: At first glance, adding more satellites to an already crowded orbit is counterintuitive, but for Vyoma, it is a crucial step toward improving space safety. Today, only roughly 40,000 objects larger than 10 cm are regularly tracked from the ground. The 1,000,000 objects larger than 1 cm – which can still wreak havoc if colliding with satellites – are not tracked, as they cannot be observed from large distances without expending a lot of energy. Our satellite constellation provides comprehensive and highly available yet affordable data on space debris as small as a few centimeters.
This is because in space, there are no weather or atmospheric effects that disturb our measurements. We are using large baffles that block straylight, resulting in highly sensitive instruments. Using passive optical technology, we do not have to use large amounts of energy. And by wisely choosing the orbit, we can achieve constant sun illumination angles. All this results in a highly sensitive, highly efficient observation system.
Also, our anticipated constellation consists of 12 satellites only. We are not aiming to launch hundreds or even thousands of satellites.
Challenges in the New Space industry
Munich Startup: Bringing your own satellites to space also turns you into a hardware startup. Have you been planning this from the start, or did you incorporate this later into your business plan?
Stefan Frey: We realised early on that owning and operating our own sensors is crucial. To be able to provide guaranteed latencies and contractually defined priorities, there is no way around that. However, we do not build our own hardware. Instead, we define the exact requirements of the sensors we need to be able to provide an effective service for our customers, and then procure the telescope and satellite buses from the appropriate specialists. This approach helps us to have a 100kg satellite carrying a large telescope operational in just a few years.
Munich Startup: What other challenges have you faced on your journey so far? And how did you manage to solve them?
Stefan Frey: The NewSpace economy is still young. There is a push towards more standardisation, but we still have to work with components that are not off-the-shelf. A major challenge thus is to have a reliable supply chain. We approach this by diversifying our supply chain, making sure that we always have at least one alternative in case there is a problem with the initial supplier.
Munich Startup: Who are your customers today? What roles do public and private clients play for you?
Stefan Frey: Our primary customers are satellite operators, both from commercial and institutional entities. They naturally have an interest in protecting, and efficiently employing, their satellites. They are informed about upcoming conjunction events and can use our services to optimally plan avoidance maneuvers.
Vyoma wants to develop an entirely automated system for satellite operators
However, safety is only one part of our operational capabilities, another is security. Space is increasingly becoming a domain for military actions. Listening into communications from satellites using other satellites is not a fiction anymore. Our services are thus also interesting for the various European Space Forces, where our data and intelligence services can help in preventing the loss of space assets due to malign attacks.
Munich Startup: What future are you envisioning for Vyoma within the space economy?
Stefan Frey: At Vyoma, our vision is to develop an entirely automated system for satellite operators. We are taking this journey step by step. Presently, we provide Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and space traffic management services, helping satellite operators navigate an increasingly crowded and complex space environment. Our solutions are designed to ensure that space operations remain safe, sustainable, and efficient.
Looking ahead, we aim to expand our satellite operations capabilities, moving toward greater automation. By doing so, we will help reduce the operational costs and risks faced by satellite operators globally, making satellites more economically viable. Our goal is to provide the tools necessary to streamline satellite operations, enabling more efficient and secure management of space traffic
Munich Startup:Vyoma started out in Darmstadt, right next to some of the most important facilities of ESA. What made you resettle your HQ to Munich?
Stefan Frey: Munich offers a vibrant ecosystem for space technology and innovation, with proximity to research institutions and other aerospace companies. The move allowed Vyoma to tap into a broader network of talent and resources, positioning itself in a city that is becoming central to Europe’s space industry.
