ESA to Purchase SpaceX Crew Dragon Mission to ISS
The European Space Agency announced it will purchase a dedicated SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the International Space Station, creating the ESA Provided Institutional Crew (EPIC) mission. The EPIC flight is planned as a medium‑duration stay of roughly one month, longer than the typical 8‑18‑day private missions. ESA astronauts will not only conduct experiments but also perform station maintenance, logistics and cargo operations. The agency is seeking to involve international partners, with Australia already in talks, to broaden participation before the ISS is retired around 2030.
ESA to Incentivise the Use of European Launchers for LEO Cargo Return Initiative
The European Space Agency announced a €50 million incentive to encourage the use of Ariane 6 or other European launchers for its ALADDIN demonstration missions, part of the LEO Cargo Return Services program. Up to €420 million per contract will be awarded, split...
Sirius Space Services Acquires AMM-42 as It Prepares for Inaugural Flight
Sirius Space Services has acquired AMM-42, a high‑precision metal‑component manufacturer employing 35 staff, to bring critical production capabilities in‑house ahead of its Sirius 1B demonstrator flight scheduled for early 2027. The purchase follows a previous acquisition of SERM and expands Sirius's...
European Defence Agency Awards Contract for First VLEO Military Satellite Concept
The European Defence Agency has granted a €15.65 million research contract to a Sener‑led consortium to design the first military satellite optimized for very low Earth orbit (VLEO). VLEO, ranging from 150‑350 km, promises sharper imagery and lower communication latency but requires...
Isar Aerospace to Launch Astroscale ELSA-M Orbital Debris Removal Mission
Tokyo‑based Astroscale has signed a launch contract with Germany’s Isar Aerospace to fly its ELSA‑M orbital‑debris removal demonstrator no earlier than 2028, pushing the mission back two years from the original 2026 target. The launch will use Isar’s two‑stage Spectrum...
Cyprus First to Use EU GOVSATCOM Secure Communications Service
Cyprus has become the first EU member to operationally use the European Union’s GOVSATCOM secure satellite communications service, announced by EUSPA on 10 March. The service, which went live in January 2026, aggregates capacity from eight satellites operated by five countries to...
ESA Calls on European Startups to Design Spaceplane
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a call for proposals from European small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises to develop a fully reusable spaceplane‑based launch system. The agency seeks at least two distinct concepts and encourages the integration of novel propulsion...
Avio Lands $65 Million Deal Days After Shareholders Approve New Bylaws
Avio announced a $65 million contract with Defense Systems and Solutions to develop, qualify and initially produce a solid‑rocket motor for air‑defence applications. The three‑year deal leverages Avio’s Italian plant while planning full‑scale production at its new Hurt, Virginia facility from...
ESA Has Lost Contact With One of Its PROBA-3 Spacecraft
The European Space Agency announced on 6 March that it has lost contact with the Coronagraph spacecraft of its PROBA‑3 formation‑flying mission. An anomaly on 14‑15 February caused a loss of attitude, forcing the satellite into survival mode as its solar arrays...
ENPULSION Secures €22.5 Million to Expand US Market Presence
ENPULSION, an Austrian electric propulsion specialist, raised €22.5 million in growth funding led by Nordwind Growth to accelerate its US market expansion. The capital will fund scaling of production capacity and a strategic shift toward integrated, turnkey mobility solutions for satellite...
ESA to Open Call for European-Led Space Station Studies
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a call for tenders to conduct two Pre‑Phase A studies assessing the feasibility of a European‑led, modular space station in low‑Earth orbit. The studies will examine architecture, utilization, and technology needs, and will explore...
Infinite Orbits Goes on Spending Spree After Securing €40 Million
Infinite Orbits announced back‑to‑back acquisitions of LMO’s Luxembourg operations and UK‑based Lúnasa Space within a week, leveraging the €40 million financing it raised in November 2025. The deals add advanced space‑situational‑awareness software and autonomous rendezvous capabilities to its Endurance and Orbit...
MaiaSpace Pushes Inaugural Launch of Maia Rocket to 2027
MaiaSpace, an ArianeGroup subsidiary, announced that the inaugural flight of its two‑stage Maia rocket is now slated for 2027, pushing back the original late‑2026 target. The partially reusable vehicle can lift up to 1,500 kg to low‑Earth orbit in an expendable...
Shareholder Advisory Firms Disagree on Avio Bylaw Amendments
Proxy advisers are split on Avio’s proposed bylaw changes ahead of its March 3 extraordinary meeting. Glass Lewis recommends shareholders approve a board size reduction to nine directors, giving the controlling shareholder seven seats, while ISS advises voting against the amendments....
UKAEA to Help Pulsar Fusion with Shielding for Nuclear Propulsion System
Pulsar Fusion announced that the UK Atomic Energy Authority will assist its Sunbird Migratory Transfer Vehicle with neutron shielding and activation modelling. Sunbird’s Dual Direct Fusion Drive generates thrust and onboard electricity, promising to halve Mars transit times and reach...
Avio to Build $500 Million Facility in Hurt, Virginia
Italian rocket builder Avio announced a $500 million solid‑rocket‑motor manufacturing complex in Hurt, Virginia, pending approval by the Virginia General Assembly. The 860,000‑square‑foot facility, financed by a €400 million capital increase, will create more than 1,000 jobs and may receive a $97.7 million...
Telespazio Awarded €20 Million Contract for Canary Islands Constellation
Telespazio Ibérica has secured a €20 million contract to build an Earth‑observation satellite constellation for the Canary Islands. While the original plan called for eight low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, the award covers three operational spacecraft and a technology demonstrator, each 20‑30 kg. The demonstrator...
ESA Awards Contracts for Lunar Remote Camp Studies
The European Space Agency has awarded two contracts to study lunar habitat concepts that could protect robotic equipment and later support short‑duration human missions. Copenhagen‑based SAGA Space Architects, together with The Exploration Company and Space Applications Services, will lead the...
SSC Space Opens Orbital Launch Control Center at Esrange
SSC Space inaugurated the Orbital Launch Control Center (OLCC) at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center, marking a key step toward orbital launch capability. The OLCC will manage vehicle monitoring, countdowns, and coordination with safety and airspace authorities for future missions. Initial...
Shareholder Advisory Firm Urges Vote Against Avio Bylaw Amendments
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has recommended Avio shareholders reject a set of bylaw amendments slated for a March 3 extraordinary meeting. The proposals would fix the board at nine members, giving the largest shareholder seven seats while reducing minority representation, and...
Sateliot Selects PLD Space to Launch Two 5G Direct-to-Device Satellites
Sateliot has signed a launch services agreement with Spanish launch provider PLD Space to fly its first two high‑capacity 5G Direct‑to‑Device (D2D) Tritó satellites on a dedicated MIURA 5 mission in 2027. Each Tritó payload weighs roughly 160 kg and will enable...
RFA Begins Final Preparations for Inaugural RFA ONE Launch
German launch provider Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) is nearing the inaugural flight of its 30‑metre RFA ONE rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland. After an August 2024 first‑stage hot‑fire failure, the company has rebuilt the stage, upgraded the upper‑stage Helix...
ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot Launches Aboard SpaceX Crew-12 Mission
French Air Force colonel Sophie Adenot became the first member of ESA’s 2022 career astronaut class to launch to the International Space Station, riding SpaceX’s Crew‑12 mission on 13 February 2026. The Falcon 9‑launched Crew Dragon will dock with the ISS...
Orbex Fails After Planned Purchase Falls Through
Orbex, the UK‑based small‑sat launch provider, has entered insolvency proceedings after its planned acquisition by European space‑logistics startup The Exploration Company fell apart. The collapse follows a January shutdown of its Danish engine factory and 90 redundancies, leaving roughly 150...
Earth Observation Data Provider Constellr Closes €37 Million Series A
Munich‑based Constellr closed a €37 million Series A round, bringing total capital to €75 million. The funding, led by Alpine Space Ventures and Lakestar, will accelerate its HiVE microsatellite constellation toward defence‑grade thermal imaging. Constellr plans to upgrade resolution from 30 m to sub‑5 m...
Hypersonic Systems Startup Emerges From Stealth with Series A and Test Launch
Munich‑based Hypersonica has emerged from stealth, announcing a €23.3 million Series A round led by Plural and backed by Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, General Catalyst and 201 Ventures. The startup also reported its first successful hypersonic missile test on 3 February from...
ESA Is Preparing to Announce Aeolus-2 Prime Contractor
The European Space Agency has cleared a €70 million award to launch Phase B2 of its Aeolus‑2 weather satellite programme and is set to announce the prime contractor. Aeolus‑2 will consist of two 2.5‑tonne satellites equipped with a Doppler wind lidar, delivering...
OHB Establishes European Moonport Company
German space contractor OHB announced the launch of Luna Europa – the European Moonport Company – to centralise its lunar‑related activities. The subsidiary, founded in May 2025 and disclosed on 4 February 2026, will coordinate work on ESA’s Argonaut lander, the ESPRIT...
The Exploration Company Completes Nyx Splashdown Tests
The Exploration Company announced the completion of a controlled splashdown test campaign for a 1:4‑scale mockup of its Nyx reusable capsule. Conducted at the National Research Council’s Institute of Marine Engineering in Rome, the program executed 20 drops between 13...
Isar Aerospace to Expand Testing Facilities as It Prepares for Next Spectrum Flight
Isar Aerospace announced a purpose‑built acceptance test facility at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center, boosting its capacity to test over 30 Aquila engines per month and conduct full stage acceptance tests. The expansion comes as the company readies the second flight...
CNES to Fill Commercial Launch Facility Vacancy Left by MaiaSpace
The French space agency CNES announced a fresh call for launch operators to occupy the vacancy left by MaiaSpace at its new multi‑user ELM (Ensemble de Lancement Multilanceurs) facility in French Guiana. The site, built on the former Diamant launch...
EU Awards Three Contracts for Mobile Responsive Launch System Studies
The European Commission has awarded three parallel studies to examine a mobile responsive launch system capable of rapid satellite deployment from non‑permanent ground sites. Consortia led by PwC, GMV and Sirius Space Services will conduct the research over a ten‑month...
POLARIS Spaceplanes Wins Contract for Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle
Polaris Spaceplanes has secured a contract from Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In‑Service Support (BAAINBw) to develop and flight‑test a fully reusable, two‑stage hypersonic vehicle dubbed the Hypersonic Test and Experimentation Vehicle (HYTEV). The vehicle, roughly...
