ESA - LEO Cargo Return Service

[Flyaway]

ESA Announces Recipients of LEO Cargo Return Service Contracts

The European Space Agency has announced that it has awarded contracts for its LEO Cargo Return Service initiative to The Exploration Company and Thales Alenia Space Italia.

The LEO Cargo Return Service initiative was first announced in May 2023 with the aim of promoting the development of commercial-operated spacecraft capable of transporting cargo to and from low Earth orbit. In November 2023, during the ESA council meeting in Seville, Spain, member states approved the initiative, and €75 million was drawn from the agency’s existing budget for the project’s first phase. The agency explained that it intended to award up to three phase 1 contracts.

Phase 2 of the initiative will see the companies develop and execute a demonstration mission that must be launched by the end of 2028. However, the commencement of Phase 2 will be subject to decisions and appropriations made at ESA’s next ministerial-level council meeting, which will take place in late 2025.

The Exploration Company has completed a sub-scale prototype of its spacecraft called the Bikini Demo, which is expected to be launched aboard the maiden flight of the Ariane 6 rocket in the first two weeks of July. It is also currently in the process of completing the manufacture of its larger Mission Possible demonstrator, which is slated for launch in 2025.

EU Policy. Space cargo contracts offer ESA chance of relaunch, says astronaut

There was meant to be a third contractor but ESA decided not to award it in the end. Also only one of the two awarded has definite details on the public domain.