French space startup HyPrSpace has opened its first mass-production factory, targeting annual output of 100 rocket engines.
The company is preparing for a planned test flight of its Orbital Baguette One hybrid rocket in 2027. The new factory is located near Bordeaux.
HyPrSpace is among several European startups seeking to benefit from rising demand for satellite launches. Governments and commercial operators plan to put thousands of satellites into orbit.
HyPrSpace Targets Lower Launch Costs
HyPrSpace says its hybrid rocket could help reduce launch costs. The Orbital Baguette One uses fewer components than conventional rockets.
Hybrid engines have historically been less efficient than fully liquid systems. However, HyPrSpace said one of its tests in 2024 reached an average efficiency of 94%.
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“Our ambition is to change the paradigm and the cost of access to space,” CEO Nicolas Billecocq told Reuters.
Billecocq is a former Safran engineer. He said the company wants to make space launches more affordable for customers.
Factory Can Produce 100 Engines
The new facility covers 7,000 square metres near Bordeaux. It can produce about 100 engines each year.
That output would provide enough engines for up to 12 planned orbital launchers annually.
France’s defence ministry said in September that a sub-orbital vehicle would fly from a military site in 2027.
The planned mission would mark the first such launch from mainland France. HyPrSpace must complete two more ground tests before attempting the flight test.
Startup Faces Crowded European Market
HyPrSpace remains a small player in Europe’s increasingly competitive launch market.
The company was not selected in the first round of a European Space Agency launcher challenge. Billecocq said HyPrSpace plans to submit another bid.
The startup raised €21 million ($24 million) in 2025. Its funding comes roughly equally from public and private sources.
HyPrSpace is targeting customers that want dedicated access to space.
It does not plan to compete directly with heavy-lift rockets that can deploy dozens or hundreds of satellites at once.
Those systems include SpaceX’s launch vehicles and Europe’s Ariane rockets. HyPrSpace instead sees an opportunity among customers seeking smaller, dedicated missions.
The company is betting that its hybrid propulsion technology can help lower launch costs as Europe’s space industry expands.
