Skynopy has signed a new partnership deal with the French Space Agency (CNES). The partnership aims at optimizing frequency allocation for the ground stations operated by Skynopy in France. The two companies announced the new partnership, April 29.
As part of this agreement, CNES will provide its expertise to support Skynopy in frequency declaration and allocation processes with the French National Frequency Agency (ANFR) when deploying antennas in France.
CNES has been one of the key backers of Skynopy since the company’s inception in 2023. CNES supported Skynopy through technology development contracts focused on Ka-band for ground station-as-a-service solutions. This work enabled Skynopy to structure its technical roadmap around virtualized modem operations and refine its network architecture to meet the requirements of high-throughput LEO missions.
CNES is also a shareholder in Skynopy through the SpaceFounders program—the European space startup accelerator created by CNES in partnership with the Bundeswehr University of Munich and the Italian Space Agency.
“This partnership with CNES goes far beyond a frequency management agreement: it symbolizes a deep, long-term relationship between the French space agency and a NewSpace player that shares the same ambitions for sovereignty and technological excellence. From our first R&D contracts to today, CNES has helped us move faster, further, and more robustly. Together, we are demonstrating that it is possible to build a credible European alternative to major GSaaS players,” Pierre Bertrand, CEO and co-founder of Skynopy, said in a statement.
