Leaf Space – Strategic-Technological Analysis
Leaf Space is quietly revolutionizing how Europe communicates with its satellites. Founded in 2014 in an Italian garage and now operating a proprietary Ground Segment-as-a-Service (GSaaS) network spanning 26 ground stations across 16 locations[1], this company has swiftly emerged as a critical enabler of the New Space economy. From its headquarters in Lomazzo, Italy, Leaf Space provides satellite operators a seamless link between orbit and Earth, handling over 120,000 communication passes in 2023 – double the previous year[2]. The company’s journey from a Politecnico di Milano student project to a global service provider exemplifies Europe’s growing independent capacity in space technology. It also represents a strategic asset: Leaf Space’s fully European-owned ground station network reduces reliance on non-allied infrastructure and ensures secure, sovereign access to satellite data. The stage is set to explore how this ambitious scale-up contributes to European strategic autonomy and defense readiness while maintaining a firm foothold in the transatlantic space ecosystem.