Loft Orbital, with a European Space Agency (ESA)-funded upgraded Airbus Arrow 150 platform on board, has successfully launched its Longbow YAM-8 satellite on Friday 14 March at 23:43 PT (Saturday 15 March 07:43 CET) on a Transporter-13, taking place at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States. The upgrades to the platform were supported under an ESA Pioneer Partnership Project: the In Orbit Demonstrator by Airbus (IODA).
The YAM-8 will be the first satellite deployed on Airbus' upgraded Arrow 150 platform which can support multi-mission concepts, technology and in-orbit demonstrations. The launch of YAM-8, which is the first of Loft’s next-gen Longbow satellites, also signifies the first application of the Pioneer IODA development, with Airbus having sold more than 30 platforms to Loft Orbital.
The IODA project represents a collaboration between Airbus France and ESA to facilitate the in-orbit validation of new satellite concepts and demonstrate technological systems, to demonstrate and de-risk missions in low Earth orbit. The development of the innovative upgraded platform came with support from French space agency, CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales). By investing in advanced satellite technologies, ESA strengthens its Member States’ and Europe's global competitiveness in space capabilities in a growing and increasingly strategic market.
As part of the project, a spacecraft, payload and ground segment were developed with the goal of validating the system in-orbit. With the contribution of IODA, Loft Orbital is using Airbus Arrow 150 platforms in integrating their customers’ payloads, driving its service business model. Loft Orbital has managed to raise over €300 million since it began, completing a Series C funding round in January 2025, raising €170 million.
ESA’s Pioneer programme focuses on supporting new and emerging providers of space-enabled services. Part of the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme within ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications, Pioneer lowers the barrier to space and nurtures a growing and competitive European space ecosystem. The programme works to ensure that such services are validated through at least one Pioneer flight mission, showcasing the service.
“ESA is proud to be supporting Airbus and the wider Loft Orbital launch of YAM-8, a prime demonstration of our expertise and capabilities in the field of innovative satellite platforms. We are committed to enabling such expertise in adding value across our industry and their customers,” said Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications.
“The launch of Loft’s YAM-8 mission, using the upgraded Airbus Arrow 150 platform, showcases the rich expertise Europe has, with unique and innovative services that will support life on Earth. This is another success of the Pioneer project to enhance the capabilities of our Member States,” said Clive Edwards, ESA’s Pioneer Implementation Manager.
"YAM-8, the first of its kind, represents a major step forward in Loft Orbital’s mission to provide scalable, high-performance satellite solutions. As the inaugural Longbow platform, it enables new levels of capability for our customers, supporting more complex and demanding payloads. The support and collaboration of ESA and CNES in the co-development of this platform have been instrumental in bringing this innovation to the European market and ensuring the success of this mission," said Emmanuelle Meric, General Manager at Europe, Loft Orbital.
Florence Hauss, Loft Project Manager at Airbus said: “Loft Orbital has successfully launched YAM-8, its first satellite built on the Longbow platform, a key milestone in its partnership with Airbus. This innovative platform, derived from the trusted Airbus Arrow, exemplifies Loft Orbital’s commitment to delivering high-performance, cost-effective satellite solutions, enabling rapid and seamless payload deployment for a new era of space exploration.”
