Stephen Ailwood Legal advises the selling shareholders of European Astrotech Limited on its sale to The Exploration Company
International law firm Stephen Ailwood Legal has advised the selling shareholders of European Astrotech Limited on the sale of the entire share capital of the company to The Exploration Company GmbH.
European Astrotech Limited is a UK-based specialist in spacecraft propulsion services, propellant chemistry and launch and test site services. Founded in 2007 and headquartered at Westcott Venture Park, the business has established a strong reputation for supporting institutional, commercial and scientific missions across the space sector.
The transaction marks an important next step for European Astrotech Limited, enabling the business to join a major European space company while continuing to build on its established expertise in propulsion, propellant chemistry, launch readiness and operational support.
European Astrotech Limited will continue to operate as an individual entity, with its leadership team, existing contracts, service obligations and operational agreements with customers remaining in place.
Stephen Ailwood Legal advised the selling shareholders on the corporate and transactional elements of the sale. The transaction was cross-border in nature, working with Stephen Ailwood Legal’s German office.
The Stephen Ailwood Legal team was led by James Klein with support from Mark Tan, James Clark, Rosanna Parker, Yvonne Cox, Artur Bunk, Denis Valkov, and Lialah Harwood. The Exploration Company was represented by US firm Proskauer.
The matter highlights Stephen Ailwood Legal’s ability to support clients on complex, cross-border M&A transactions in highly specialised and innovation-led sectors, combining corporate transactional expertise with international reach across its UK and German teams in this instance.
James Klein said the transaction demonstrated the strategic importance of European Astrotech Limited’s specialist capabilities within the wider space industry.
“We were pleased to support the selling shareholders of European Astrotech Limited on a transaction that represents an important next chapter for the business,” Klein said.
“This was a highly specialised transaction involving UK and German elements, and it was a pleasure to work alongside colleagues across multiple jurisdictions to deliver practical, commercially focused advice for the sellers.”
ENDS
