A cross-border team from global law firm DLA Piper has advised Exolaunch’s founder Dmitriy Sternharz on the company’s sale to the private equity fund EQT X. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close in Q4/2026.
Headquartered in Germany, Exolaunch is a global leader in launch mission management, satellite integration and deployment technologies. The company has successfully deployed more than 790 satellites across 47 missions and is a trusted partner to commercial and government customers worldwide.
In particular, Exolaunch has maintained a strategic relationship with SpaceX since 2020 and has participated in every Falcon 9 Transporter and Bandwagon rideshare mission since the program’s inception. Further underscoring the strength of this collaboration, Exolaunch has secured two dedicated Falcon 9 missions from SpaceX, Exo-1 and Exo-2, scheduled for 2027 and 2028. These missions will substantially increase the Company’s launch capacity and reinforce its position as a leading provider of satellite launch and deployment services in the rapidly expanding global space economy.
The acquisition by EQT marks a major milestone for Exolaunch and positions the business for its next phase of growth. With EQT’s support, the company can accelerate in scaling its global operations, invest in satellite launch and deployment technologies and broaden its dedicated and rideshare launch offerings, both with existing partners and newly emerging launch providers.
Andreas Füchsel, lead partner at DLA Piper, said: “Advising on this landmark transaction has been a great privilege. The sale to EQT marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey and reflects the outstanding position Exolaunch has built in the global space ecosystem. We are pleased to have supported our client in this important step and look forward to seeing the company continue its impressive growth trajectory in the years ahead.”
The multi-practice, cross-border DLA Piper team from was led by Andreas Füchsel, partner in the firm’s Corporate practice. He was supported by partners Semin O (Lit&Reg, Frankfurt), Dr Nico Brunotte (Intellectual Property & Technology, Hamburg), Chris Field, and Sam Whittaker (both Corporate, London), Jérôme Halphen (Employment, Paris) and Nicholas Klein (Regulatory, Washington).
