Caelum provides sale-leaseback facilities and finance leases for satellites and ground stations. Working with banks, export-credit agencies and institutional investors, we handle the financing — you focus on the mission.
Caelum was founded to bridge the gap between space infrastructure operators and institutional capital. The commercial space sector has outgrown grant funding and venture equity — it needs the same asset-backed financing structures that scaled aviation, shipping, and telecoms.
Caelum's founder brings more than twenty years of aviation and maritime structured finance and leasing, supported by advisers in tax, law, insurance and the space sector. We work with operators, manufacturers, and funding partners to deliver financing solutions that preserve equity, diversify funding, and keep missions on track.
01
Tell Us About Your Asset
You have a satellite or ground station that needs financing. We start with a conversation about the asset, the operator, and the revenue contract.
02
We Structure The Deal
Our team designs a bespoke financing structure tailored to your asset and contract profile.
03
Capital Deployed
We bring senior lenders, export-credit cover and equity co-investors into each deal. You receive funding without diluting your equity.
04
Ongoing Partnership
Our relationship doesn't end at closing. Caelum works alongside operators through the life of the lease — supporting refinancing, portfolio growth, and future asset additions as your business scales.
Asset class 01
SatellitesGEO and MEO communications spacecraft, in service or acquired at delivery
Asset class 02
Ground stationsTeleports, gateway earth stations and TT&C facilities
01 — Why Lease
Capital is the bottleneck. Leasing removes it.
$626B
Global space economy, 2025
14,000+
Active satellites in orbit
50%+
Commercial aircraft leased worldwide
<5%
Space assets financed the same way
Access to capital remains the single biggest barrier to scaling space infrastructure. Purchasing satellites and ground stations outright ties up hundreds of millions that could fund operations, R&D, or your next satellite.
Leasing converts that capital expenditure into a predictable, structured cost — the same asset-backed model that scaled aviation, maritime, and telecoms infrastructure globally.
↻ Recycle deployed capital
Sale-leaseback lets you monetise assets already in orbit or on the ground, freeing cash to fund the next phase of your roadmap.
◈ Optimise your balance sheet
Structured lease financing replaces large upfront capital outlays with predictable lease payments, improving capital efficiency and key financial ratios. Under IFRS 16 the lease is recognised on balance sheet either way; the benefit is capital released and a funding source priced off the asset, with accounting treatment confirmed transaction by transaction.
⊘ No equity dilution
Financing sits at the asset level, not on your equity structure. Your capitalisation table — the record of who owns shares, options, and convertible instruments in your company — stays exactly as it is. No new investors, no board seats, no valuation pressure.
⟲ Technology refresh flexibility
Lease terms aligned to technology cycles mean you're never locked into obsolescent hardware. Upgrade when the next generation is ready.
02 — Services
Structured finance for the current frontier
01
Sale-Leaseback at In-Orbit Delivery
For a new satellite on order. Caelum acquires the spacecraft once it is delivered in orbit and accepted, then leases it back to the operator for the contract term. Launch and early-orbit risk stay with the operator, its manufacturer and their insurers; the operator's capital stays in the business. Suited to operators with a confirmed order and a capacity contract behind it.
For a new satellite the operator needs financed before it ships. Offered once the programme's first in-orbit transactions have closed. Caelum buys the completed satellite at manufacturer acceptance, taking out the operator's pre-delivery funding before launch; launch and in-orbit-test cover is placed with the lessor as loss payee, and lease payments begin at in-orbit acceptance. The operator's build-phase funding is repaid before launch.
For satellites already in orbit and earning. Caelum acquires the in-service spacecraft and leases it back, releasing the capital tied up in the fleet while the operator keeps flying the asset and collecting from its customers. Used to refinance maturing debt or fund the next spacecraft, with an operating track record to underwrite against.
Sale-leaseback and finance leases for teleports, gateway earth stations and telemetry, tracking and command facilities. Ground assets sit in one jurisdiction, carry conventional security and usually close fastest, which makes them a practical first transaction for an operator new to leasing.
GEO constellation operators and single-satellite missions.
Ground Station Networks
Teleport operators, TT&C providers, and gateway earth station operators.
Space Infrastructure Developers
Satellite manufacturers whose customers need financing at delivery.
Government & Civil Space Agencies
National space agencies and civil government programmes with commercial space assets.
04 — FAQ
Frequently asked questions
You sell your existing space asset to a Caelum entity, then immediately lease it back under a long-term lease. You receive upfront capital while retaining full operational control of the asset. At the end of the lease, you typically have a purchase option.
GEO and MEO satellites, ground stations, gateway earth stations, and Telemetry, Tracking & Command facilities. We focus on revenue-generating assets with contracted cash flows — both in-service assets and new-build satellites acquired at in-orbit delivery, so on current transactions neither Caelum nor its funding partners carry launch exposure.
Asset
GEO Communications Satellite
Structure
Sale-Leaseback / Finance Lease
Facility Size
€100M+
Term
Up to 15 Years
An operator has procured a next-generation GEO communications satellite backed by long-term capacity contracts. Caelum acquires the asset and leases it back to the operator under a finance lease of up to 15 years, unlocking the capital tied up in the spacecraft. The operator recycles proceeds into future missions, diversifying its funding and avoiding equity dilution. Ground-station transactions are typically €10–50M.
Illustrative example. Actual terms vary by asset, operator, and contract profile.
Caelum is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Ireland is the global hub for asset leasing — home to the world's largest aircraft lessors and a deep ecosystem of structuring, legal, tax, and regulatory expertise built over decades. As an EU member state, Ireland offers access to the European single market, an extensive double-taxation treaty network spanning over 70 countries, and a well-established common law legal system with courts experienced in asset finance disputes. This infrastructure makes Ireland the natural home for a space asset leasing platform with global ambitions.
Ready to finance your space assets?
Whether you're financing your first satellite or refinancing an existing constellation, we'd like to hear from you.
