Exploration Company Secures €760 Million ALADDIN Cargo Capsule Contract with ESA

The Exploration Company (TEC), a prominent European space company, has recently secured a significant service contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) valued at €760 million. This contract entails the construction and operation of Europe’s first commercial cargo capsule destined for the International Space Station (ISS).

The agreement, formalized at the International Space Summit in Paris, outlines a payment of €310 million for an initial demonstration mission, with the potential for up to €450 million for two additional optional service missions in the future.

Josef Aschbacher, the Director General of ESA, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with TEC, emphasizing how ESA’s role as an anchor customer can bolster Europe’s commercial space sector and transform ambitious visions into tangible achievements.

TEC’s success in securing this contract comes on the heels of a substantial €387 million ($450 million) Series C funding round. This financial boost will facilitate the final development of the Nyx reusable capsule and accelerate progress on Storm, a reusable high-thrust rocket engine.

ESA categorizes this contract as part of Phase 2 of the ALADDIN initiative (Autonomous LEO Accelerated Demo Docking to ISS Node), which succeeds the agency’s Low Earth Orbit Cargo Return Service (LCRS) program. The LCRS program was established in 2022 following the endorsement from ESA Member States, with the aim of fostering a competitive cargo service to and from space stations in low Earth orbit, such as the ISS.

TEC emerged victorious in a competitive tender process for Phase 2 of the ALADDIN program, marking ESA’s first and most substantial capsule transportation service contract awarded to a European company through open competition.

Hélène Huby, alongside a team of aerospace veterans, founded The Exploration Company in 2021. The company specializes in developing a comprehensive range of space transportation solutions, including reusable capsules and high-thrust engines. TEC’s primary objective is to transport cargo, and eventually humans, to space and safely return them to Earth.

Central to TEC’s mission is Nyx, a reusable capsule engineered to launch on various heavy-lift rockets, autonomously dock with space stations, and return up to 3,000 kilograms of cargo to Earth. Nyx is designed for up to 10 missions per capsule, featuring carbon-based thermal protection for re-entry and proprietary flight software for autonomous docking.

In addition to the ESA contract, TEC has secured pre-booking agreements with leading commercial space station operators, further solidifying its position in the market. Nyx is currently undergoing the certification process with NASA for missions to the ISS.

Huby, the founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, highlighted the transformative nature of the ESA contract, emphasizing the shift in European space technology development and the company’s remarkable progress in securing such a substantial contract in a competitive environment.

As part of the agreement, TEC and ESA will jointly fund an initial Nyx demonstration mission to the ISS, with private investors contributing 40% of the financing and ESA covering the remaining 60%. The contract also includes provisions for two additional cargo missions to the ISS or a future commercial space station. Furthermore, TEC has entered into a separate agreement with Arianespace to launch the first Nyx capsule on an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.