Denmark moves one step closer to historic lunar mission

ESA, the European Space Agency, has formally given the green light for Denmark to proceed with its historic plans to send a satellite to the Moon. The Danish government has earmarked a budget of DKK 130 million / EUR 17 million for the mission, and the satellite will be developed and built in Aalborg by Space Inventor, which leads the industrial consortium behind the spacecraft. It will be the most ambitious space instrument ever built in Denmark for lunar research and monitoring—marking a historic moment for Danish space exploration.

Aalborg, 18 December 2025 – The European Space Agency (ESA) has now approved Denmark’s progression to the next phase of its proposed lunar satellite mission. As part of Denmark’s new national space strategy, the Aalborg-based company Space Inventor — working in collaboration with Danish universities, research institutions and European industrial partners — will design and build the so-called Máni satellite. The spacecraft will survey the lunar surface and environment as part of both national and international scientific programs.

ESA’s approval enables all mission partners to proceed into the next development stage, which will refine and extend the preparatory work already carried out earlier this year. This marks a critical step in the mission timeline, and if all goes according to plan, the launch is expected near the end of the decade. According to Space Inventor, today’s approval represents a landmark achievement for Danish space ambitions.

- The Máni mission marks a historic moment for Danish spaceflight. It is the largest satellite ever developed and built in Denmark, and the project will span the next three years. This mission not only strengthens Denmark’s position within ESA’s collaborative programs, but also drives national industrial growth and supports world-class research in lunar orbit, says Peter Davidsen, Chief Technology Officer at Space Inventor A/S.

The satellite will be built on Space Inventor’s proprietary microsatellite platform and equipped with specialized instruments for lunar science, navigation, and data collection—operating within a harsh lunar environment characterized by extreme temperatures, radiation and vast distances that place new demands on robustness and on-board intelligence.

- Space Inventor has already developed advanced satellites for Earth observation and international research missions, and we will draw on that experience as we develop the Máni spacecraft. Being entrusted with Denmark’s first lunar mission is something truly special. It is a responsibility in which we take great pride, says Karl Kaas, Founder & CEO of Space Inventor.

Over the next ten years, the Danish government intends to select and fund up to four national space missions, with the Danish-led Máni mission envisaged as the very first. The mission carries significant scientific and commercial potential, including improving climate models on Earth and supporting future crewed missions to the Moon.

For further information, please contact:
Peter Davidsen, CTO, Space Inventor A/S
+45 28 22 02 51 / peter.davidsen@space-inventor.com

Karl Kaas, Founder & CEO, Space Inventor A/S
+45 31 20 82 10 / karl@space-inventor.com

Press enquiries:
Jacob Lange, Lange PR
+45 20 76 30 20 / jacob@langepr.dk
 

About Space Inventor
Since 2015, Space Inventor has been a leading player in the market for small satellites. Among its milestones is the development of the world’s smallest geostationary communications satellite, launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket in April 2023. Learn more at www.space-inventor.com

About the Máni Mission
The mission is a collaboration between the universities of Copenhagen, Aalborg, Aarhus and Southern Denmark, the Danish satellite manufacturer Space Inventor, the Danish Meteorological Institute, and several other European companies and research institutions — including a Polish partner supplying the satellite telescope.
The total mission budget is approximately EUR 50 million (DKK 373 million). As mission lead, Denmark contributes DKK 125–130 million, while the remaining funding is provided by other ESA member states whose researchers and industrial partners participate in the mission.