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Infinite Orbits and the EIC Accelerator: Satellite Life Extension

September 30, 2026913 words5 min

Infinite Orbits, founded in Toulouse in 2020 and led by CEO Adel Haddoud, is building services to repair, maintain and protect satellites in orbit. Its EIC project was Endurance, "a life extension service satellite to perform rendezvous and docking operations for end-of-life geostationary telecommunications satellites", and it said "the demonstrator of our full servicer for life extension is expected in early 2025", according to CORDIS.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,254,028 towards a €3.22 million project from April 2023 to September 2025. The only published report, from August 2024, says a preliminary design of the servicer had matured and the company was "narrowing the design activities toward a final design phase", with work on docking, navigation and attitude control. By May 2024 the company was targeting "the first European Life Extension mission in 2026". In November 2025 it announced a €40 million round with the EIC Fund among the investors, citing a €150 million order book.

€2.25MEIC grant, 70% of a €3.22M project
€52MRaised in 2024 and 2025, with the EIC Fund
€150MOrder book claimed, November 2025
Not flownEndurance demonstrator, promised for 2025

Company file

Legal entity
IO FR Infinite Orbits SAS, SIREN 885 167 940, Toulouse
Founded
June 2020
CEO
Adel Haddoud
Services
Endurance life extension, Orbit Guard inspection and surveillance
Investors
Newfund, EIC Fund, IRDI, Space Founders, Matterwave, Wind Capital, Balnord
Acquisitions
LMO (Luxembourg), Lúnasa (UK), 2026
EIC project
Endurance, 1 Apr 2023 to 30 Sep 2025, closed

Where Infinite Orbits Stands Now

In 2026 Infinite Orbits bought LMO in Luxembourg and Lúnasa in the UK, signed agreements with Arianespace and Orbital Lasers, and chose two Open Cosmos platforms for a low-orbit surveillance demonstration in 2027, according to its news page. In September 2026 Eutelsat announced its intention to work with the company on a life-extension mission for at least one geostationary satellite. Earlier, CNES awarded it and Telespazio two geostationary servicing missions, and in 2025 it signed a framework agreement with the French defence ministry for a surveillance satellite.

"Infinite Orbits clearly stood out as the ideal European candidate, earning the confidence of customers and investors."

Adel Haddoud, CEO, Infinite Orbits, November 2025

The Technology: Docking Without Help

Endurance uses the company's patented autonomous vision-based navigation to approach a satellite that was never designed to be serviced, dock with it mechanically and take over its attitude and orbit control, adding five years of life. The report says a geostationary satellite costs more than €200 million and usually retires after about 15 years. Infinite Orbits first flew its technology on Orbit Guard 1, a nanosatellite launched to geostationary orbit in May 2023.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The EIC project covered design work for Endurance, and the application expected a full demonstrator in early 2025. The first-period report shows the preliminary design matured and final design under way. No final report has been published, and no Endurance mission has launched. CORDIS lists the project as closed.

  1. Preliminary designDeliveredPer first-period report.
  2. Final designUnverifiedNo final report.
  3. Demonstrator in 2025Not flownNone announced.
  4. Customers and capitalDelivered€52M raised; Eutelsat, CNES.

The Money

Infinite Orbits raised €12 million in May 2024, led by Newfund with the EIC Fund, IRDI and CNES's venture arm Space Founders, then €40 million in November 2025. Its filed accounts show revenue of €864,000 in 2024, up from €594,000, and a net profit of €799,000, according to Pappers. The €150 million order book has not been broken down.

What Cannot Be Checked

Questions for the EIC

How much the EIC Fund invested in the two rounds, why no final report is published, when Endurance will fly and what the €150 million order book contains are not public.

Why Europe Should Care

The report says operators must replace working geostationary satellites every 15 years at great cost. Life extension would change that, and the company pitches its services as serving European space sovereignty. The EIC is backing a French contender with grant and equity; the flight that proves it is still ahead.

What the project promised

An Endurance servicer design and a full life-extension demonstrator in early 2025.

What the record shows

A maturing design, €52 million raised, big customers signed, and no Endurance flight yet.

The Verdict

Commercial momentum, flight pending

Infinite Orbits has turned EIC support into investors and customers. The in-orbit life extension it promised for 2025 has yet to happen.

Infinite Orbits and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.

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Eureka Network

Eureka Network offers multiple international collaborative R&D programs including Network Projects, Clusters, Eurostars, Globalstars, and Innowwide, with funding ranging from €50K to €6.75M per project depending on the specific program. The network focuses on market-driven innovation and deep-tech development across diverse technology sectors including ICT/Digital, Industrial/Manufacturing, Bio/Medical Technologies, Energy/Environment, Quantum, AI, and Circular Economy. Applicants include SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, universities, and startups, with Eurostars specifically targeting R&D-performing SMEs.

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EIC Transition provides up to €2.5 million in funding to bridge the 'valley of death' between laboratory research and market deployment, focusing on technology maturation and validation. The program supports single legal entities or small consortia of 2-5 partners including SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs, and research organizations. Technology areas include Health/Medical Technologies, Green/Environmental Innovation, Digital/Microelectronics, Quantum Technologies, and AI/Robotics.

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Neotec is a Spanish program offering €250K-€1M in funding for technology-based business creation and development, supporting the growth of innovative Spanish SMEs and start-ups. The program covers all technology sectors and aims to strengthen Spain's technology ecosystem. Funding is specifically targeted at Spanish technology-based SMEs and start-ups to enhance their competitiveness and market presence.

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EIC AcceleratorBeneficiary Deep Dive#Infinite Orbits#in-orbit servicing#satellites#space#life extension#France
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