ESA’s Future Low Earth Orbit Cargo Return Service Spacecraft

May 29, 2024

Thales Alenia Space is developing an Earth re-entry technological demonstrator spacecraft that will serve as the research and development base for the future evolution of the European Space Agency's Low Earth Orbit cargo return service (Image: Thales Alenia Space)

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a new €25 million contract with Thales Alenia Space to demonstrate a complete cargo delivery service to and from space stations in low-Earth orbit by 2028.

During the two-year phase of the new contract (from June 2024 to June 2026), Thales Alenia Space, as the prime contractor, will develop the service through the consolidation of the business plan and the preliminary engagement of potential investors and customers. The company will also be responsible for the initial development of the spacecraft, focusing on requirements, architectures, technology maturation and de-risking activities.

Thales Alenia Space in Italy is the industrial prime contractor. Thales Alenia Space in France will be involved in the spacecraft development while ALTEC, a joint venture between Thales Alenia Space Italia (63.75 percent) and the Italian Space Agency (36.25 percent), will be responsible of the Ground Segment and Recovery Ground Support Infrastructure developments. During this first phase of the contract, the industrial team will be enlarged to include additional companies in order to capitalize on the existing know-how within the European space industry and to ensure the most efficient execution of the project.

The second phase will cover the further development of the service and spacecraft, as well as the execution of the demonstration mission. This demonstration mission, which includes the delivery of pressurized cargo to the ISS and the safe return of the cargo back to Earth, is targeted by the end of 2028.

The program comes at a time when the space exploration landscape is evolving rapidly, with a blend of institutional and commercial players embarking on missions to explore Low Earth Orbit, the Moon, and Mars. Thales Alenia Space aims to develop a competitive and flexible end-to-end commercial passenger and cargo transport service, raising the bar in terms of innovation and efficiency while reinforcing the company's role as a major player in the upcoming space economy.

“We’re truly honored that ESA has placed its trust in our company by awarding the contract to develop cargo transportation services for commercial operators of Low Earth Orbit stations, thus giving us, as a leading European company, the opportunity to develop a commercial service to offer on the global market.” said Massimo Comparini, Deputy CEO and Senior Executive Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. “Thales Alenia Space has played, in the recent past, a key role in enabling mankind's ambitions in Low Earth Orbit. Today, leveraging on its expertise in space exploration infrastructure and vehicles, the company, fully in line with the European Space Agency’s vision, wishes to invest in the development of technological solutions to give Europe a sustainable access to Low Earth Orbit."

The spacecraft and associated ground infrastructure will be compatible with the evolution towards crew transportation to human outposts in LEO, as well as cargo return service from the Gateway space station in cis-lunar orbit.

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