Munich Startup: What problem do you solve?
Leonidas Askianakis, founder and CEO of Project-S: Satellites support communication, navigation, and Earth observation. Their safe operation also relies on detecting potential collisions early enough. However, when it comes to small debris objects in particular, situational awareness remains incomplete.
Project-S develops space-based radar payloads and systems for analyzing orbital data. They are designed to better detect smaller hazards, model their trajectories, and support operators in making collision avoidance decisions. In the long term, our roadmap also includes space debris removal. Our goal is to ensure that the safe use of orbit keeps pace with its economic importance. Orbital safety is part of critical infrastructure.
Radar Sensor Technology and Data Analysis from a Single Source
Munich Startup: What is it that only you can do today?
Leonidas Askianakis: Our approach combines the development of space-based radar sensor technology with trajectory analysis and decision support for satellite operators. We view these steps as an interconnected technical challenge. Specifically, our team has already taken compact radar demonstration hardware from design through assembly and testing to delivery. That is what we are building on. In-orbit performance and operational benefits must each be backed up by corresponding proof.
For me, the strength of Project-S lies in thinking about physical fundamentals, hardware, and the eventual application together, and implementing this connection step by step.
Munich Startup: What triggered the founding?
Leonidas Askianakis: I’m concerned with how access to space can remain open in the long term. The more our everyday lives and economy depend on satellites, the more important the question of how we protect them becomes.
That was the motivation behind Project-S: translating technical insights into systems that can contribute to safer decisions in orbit. My background shapes this approach: assumptions must be verifiable, and in the end, an idea must prove itself on a real-world system.
The Mission Remains, the Path May Change
Munich Startup: Was there a moment when you thought about giving up?
Leonidas Askianakis: I would tie that question to the benchmark you use to decide whether to keep going. With a demanding technical task, you have to be ready to challenge your own approach. What matters is whether the problem remains relevant, whether the results justify the next step, and whether the team can create the conditions to make it happen.
For me, perseverance means learning from setbacks and basing decisions on evidence. Sticking to the mission while being able to adjust the path to get there go hand in hand.
Munich Startup: How will you know in a year that you’re on the right track?
Leonidas Askianakis: By three things: reliable and reproducible technical results, progress in combining sensor technology with data evaluation, and concrete use cases with satellite operators where the practical benefit can be validated.
The announced funding creates room for maneuver. The benchmark remains how much technical uncertainty we can reduce and what value we can prove for operators. A good milestone answers an important open question and justifies the next step.
Munich as a Strong Base for Space Startups
Munich Startup: Would you found a company in Munich again, and why?
Leonidas Askianakis: Yes. My own journey is closely tied to TUM. For Project-S, the proximity to technical research, skilled talent, and the region’s space ecosystem are key reasons for Munich. Programs like ESA BIC Bavaria are part of this environment.
A space company needs people who combine scientific depth with practical execution. Munich provides a strong foundation for that. It is a great place from which to build a European company with international ambitions.
Munich Startup: Focus or diversification?
Leonidas Askianakis: Focus on the mission, clear priorities in implementation.
Our roadmap ranges from detecting orbital hazards and analyzing them to long-term mitigation measures. This breadth stems from the nature of the problem itself. However, implementation requires a clear sequence: each development step must deliver tangible value and lay the groundwork for the next. The vision can be big. The next step must be precise.
