Safran Electronics & Defense announced recently its plans to establish a new production line for satellite electric propulsion systems in Colorado. The facility, expected to begin operations in Q1 2026, will manufacture the EPS X00 electric thrusters for smaller spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO).

The new U.S. facility will mirror Safran’s existing production line in France, which commenced in Q2 2024. The French line focuses on global customers, while the Colorado plant will cater to U.S. government and commercial clients. Alex Thily, Safran’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Space, highlighted that the U.S. production line will use domestic components for its power processing units, contrasting with the French line’s use of international components.

The EPS X00 thrusters operate between 400 and 1,000 watts and can utilize either xenon or krypton as propellant, with krypton offering a cost-effective alternative to xenon. Each production line is designed to produce up to 200 thrusters annually, with potential to double output by increasing personnel.

Safran is currently evaluating several potential locations for the new Colorado facility, which will also house other Safran space businesses in the U.S., including satellite communications and space domain awareness operations.