Photo: Redwire

Florida-based aerospace and defense company Redwire has won a prime contract from the Belgian federal government to build the nation’s first national security satellite in collaboration with Aerospacelab, the company announced on Monday.

Belgian Defense is fully funding the contract, and Redwire and Aerospacelab will jointly develop the satellite, Redwire said in a statement. The mission, known as MATTEO, will enhance Belgium’s ability to monitor and respond to regional and global security challenges, in support of Belgium’s “National Defence Industrial Technology Base” strategy, it said.

An unnamed spokesperson for Belgian Defense said it would benefit from the in-orbit demonstrator’s cutting-edge technology in the next steps of its space capacity development.

“We are delighted to rely on a strong and promising partnership, able to strengthen the national Defense Industrial and Technology Base for the space segment,” the spokesperson said. “In these times of global tensions and of a new European awareness, it is a strong and univocal signal. It is necessary to arm ourselves to face the increased challenges in terms of defence, and MATTEO will fully contribute to this necessary shift.”

A spokesperson for Redwire declined to discuss the size of the contract and more details about the satellite’s planned capabilities because of the project’s sensitivity to national security.

The contract follows NASA awarding Redwire $4 million in funding for pharmaceutical research on the International Space Station, in addition to a $25 million contract announced last August.