Tag: Europe
-
UK Startup B2Space Completes Key Rockoon Launch Test in Canary Islands
Welsh launch startup B2Space has completed a major test of its rockoon launch system, which uses a high-altitude balloon to lift a small rocket before ignition. The Newport-based company, founded in 2016, is developing the system to provide low-cost orbital access for small satellites. In an update on 17 November, B2Space said it carried out…
-
Polish Consortium Successfully Tests Three-Stage Suborbital Rocket
A consortium of Polish state-owned and private companies has completed a successful test flight of a three-stage suborbital rocket designed to carry research payloads above the Kármán line, the internationally recognised boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space. The programme, launched in early 2020, received approximately 18.6 million zł (€4.1 million) in European Regional Development Fund…
-
HyPrSpace Secures €21 Million to Advance Baguette One Suborbital Launcher
French launch startup HyPrSpace has raised €21 million in a Series A round to accelerate development of its Baguette One suborbital rocket, which is targeting a first flight in late 2026. The financing increases the company’s total backing to more than €57 million, including earlier funding under the France 2030 initiative. The latest round was…
-
The Exploration Company Opens New Facility in France to Advance Development of Nyx Spacecraft
The Exploration Company has inaugurated a new facility in Le Haillan, France, less than a month after opening its new headquarters in Germany. The in-space logistics startup is developing Nyx, a modular capsule intended for cargo transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS), with future variants planned for lunar surface deliveries and crewed…
-
Thales Alenia Space Finalises Industrial Team for ESA’s Argonaut Lunar Lander
Thales Alenia Space has completed the formation of the core industrial team that will develop the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Argonaut lunar lander, signing contracts with Nammo, OHB System and two of its own subsidiaries, the company said on Thursday. ESA awarded an €862 million contract in January 2025 to a consortium led by Thales…
-
ESA to Centralise Exploration Operations in Cologne With €20 Million Facility
The European Space Agency (ESA) said on Wednesday it will build a new €20 million facility at its European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, as part of a plan to bring all of its human and robotic exploration activities under one hub. The project will relocate part of the Human and Robotic Exploration directorate…
-
Canada Boosts ESA Contributions with $528.5 Million Commitment
Canada will significantly increase its financial participation in European Space Agency (ESA) programmes, committing $528.5 million in what the government described as a “tenfold” rise compared with previous contribution levels. Canada is ESA’s only non-European Cooperating State, a status held since 1979 that grants the Canadian Space Agency selective access to ESA optional programmes. In…
-
Germany Unveils First National Security Space Strategy, Plans New Military Space Capabilities
Germany has released its first national security space strategy, outlining major investments in military space capabilities — including “highly agile low-signal surveillance and bodyguard satellites” and reusable spaceplanes to counter adversary threats. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called the plan “an important part of Germany’s efforts to safeguard its interests and…
-
The Exploration Company Acquires Germany’s Thrustworks to Boost Manufacturing Capacity
The Exploration Company has acquired German additive manufacturing firm Thrustworks, strengthening its production capabilities and broadening its commercial activities as it progresses toward the planned 2028 debut of its modular spacecraft, the company said on Monday. Thrustworks, founded in 2023, specialises in high-performance metal components for space and defence applications. The company provides end-to-end manufacturing…
-
UK Space Agency Allocates £7 Million to Advance Next-Generation Satellite Technologies
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has awarded nearly £7 million ($9 million) to five projects developing new satellite communications capabilities under the European Space Agency’s ARTES programme, the agency said on Friday. Funding was allocated to Orbit Fab, Goonhilly Earth Station, Vicinity Technologies, Archangel Lightworks working with Eutelsat, and Viasat UK. The projects focus on…