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Thorium Space, a Wroclaw-based company: focus on revenue from satellite technologies
Satellite internet is becoming cheaper and more accessible, and Starlink’s success has demonstrated just how large this market is. However, the Wrocław-based company Thorium Space does not intend to sell connectivity services—it develops the antennas and components that make it work. The company will discuss its plans on October 19 during Investor Day in Wrocław. Thorium Space is a winner of the “30 Creative Minds of Wrocław 2026” poll.
Thorium Space is a technology company from Wrocław operating in the satellite communications industry (known as SATCOM for short). The company aims to establish a permanent foothold in this industry. However, it does not intend to sell internet via satellites—instead, it supplies components and technological solutions to companies and public institutions that build satellite networks.
Among other things, the Wrocław-based company develops beamforming circuits (BFIC), antennas and antenna modules, terminals capable of connecting to satellites in various orbits (so-called multi-orbit terminals), and digital telecommunications payloads—that is, equipment installed on satellites.
Our ambition is not to compete with operators for communications sales, but to develop circuits and antennas that enable the delivery of communications in a resilient manner and with less dependence on individual suppliers. European customers, ranging from government agencies to the defense industry, are increasingly signaling a need for their own sources of technology
Piotr Mierzejewski, CEO of Thorium Space.
Mierzejewski adds: “We want to address this need in stages, from components to subsequent products. Starlink has shown just how large this market is, but also how important it is who controls the technology.”
The satellite communications market is growing very rapidly
According to an analysis by Novaspace, the amount of data that satellites can transmit worldwide has increased more than sevenfold: from 15 Tbps (terabits per second) in 2022 to 105 Tbps in 2025. Forecasts predict another jump—to 260 Tbps in 2029.
Starlink has dominated the market. In 2025, it accounted for as much as 93 percent of global satellite bandwidth, and according to SpaceX documents, approximately 10.3 million subscribers were using its services as of the end of March 2026.
Satellite Internet Is Getting Cheaper
The more available bandwidth there is, the lower the prices. Between 2018 and 2023, the wholesale price of backhaul connections fell by at least 41 percent. As a result, satellite has become a cost-effective way to provide connectivity in remote locations not reached by fiber-optic cables.
As connectivity becomes more widespread, the equipment users rely on to connect to the network is becoming increasingly important.
Why Are Antennas So Important?
Satellites in low and medium orbits are providing ever-greater bandwidth. They move quickly, so ground-based equipment must constantly track them and switch between them to maintain a connection.
This is precisely why electronically steerable antennas, BFIC systems—which direct the signal beam in antennas without moving parts—and multi-orbit terminals are becoming increasingly important. Their parameters determine, among other things, the cost, energy consumption, and capabilities of the entire terminal.
Europe Wants Its Own Secure Communications
Thorium Space’s solutions are designed for customers for whom a low price is not the top priority—what matters most is resilience and control over the technology.
The European Union’s demand for secure satellite communications is expected to increase approximately 14-fold by 2040. In the coming years, the foundation of European efforts in this area will be the IRIS² program, which involves building its own secure satellite constellation. It is intended to provide encrypted communications to EU institutions, the defense and security sectors, emergency services, and border protection agencies.
IRIS² will comprise 348 satellites in low and medium Earth orbit. Ultimately, it will increase the pool of secure bandwidth for government administrations in Europe by 60 percent. The first launches are scheduled for 2029.
For these users, having their own European components means less dependence on suppliers from outside the continent. It also means greater supply security in the event of disruptions or unforeseen events on the international stage.
Thorium Space aims to provide solutions for the defense sector, public administration, and manufacturers of certified terminals and modules. According to estimates, this market segment will be worth $1.5–2.5 billion annually by 2030.