Compete with 5 European Space Technology Companies eyeing roles as Future Launch Providers
The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected five rocket companies to compete for contracts as part of the European Launcher Challenge (ELC), an initiative aimed at expanding Europe's access to space and addressing limitations in recent years.
Among the contenders are Isar Aerospace, Maiaspace, Orbital Express Launch (Orbex), PLD Space, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA). Each company has demonstrated a commitment to sustainability and indigenous technology, with potential funding of up to €169 million per participant to develop launch capabilities.
Isar Aerospace, based in Germany, is known for its reusable rocket plans and has passed the initial stages of ESA's evaluation for technical competence and business maturity. The company's Spectrum vehicle had its debut flight in March, marking the first vertical orbital rocket launch from Western Europe, although the rocket unfortunately exploded shortly after takeoff.
Maiaspace, a French company headquartered in Paris, is developing a reusable, two-stage rocket called Maia. The company's approach includes partial reusability and environmentally conscious propulsion choices, contributing to Europe's sustainable launch ambitions.
Orbital Express Launch (Orbex), based in the UK, is developing a small orbital rocket called Prime, which uses bio-propane fuel to minimize environmental impact with carbon-neutral operations. Although Prime is expendable, Orbex aims for green technology and a low environmental footprint. Launches from the UK SaxaVord spaceport are planned not before 2026.
PLD Space, a Spanish company, is recognized as a national leader in the space launch sector development. Known for its Miura 5, a kerosene-fueled partially reusable rocket, PLD Space is planning a larger Miura Next reusable rocket for future institutional missions. The company has secured an €11mn loan to support its development.
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), another German company, is developing the kerosene-fueled RFA One launcher. Reusability is on its development roadmap, and the company is expected to launch from the SaxaVord spaceport later this year. RFA focuses on increasing competitiveness and offering cost-effective launch services within Europe.
Each company has passed ESA's stringent technical, business maturity, and sustainability criteria to reach the competition's final stages. The selected companies will contend for two types of contracts: providing launch services for ESA between 2026 and 2030, and demonstrating upgraded launch capabilities, including at least one flight test.
The ELC was designed to lower barriers and improve Europe's launch capabilities, as the Ariane 6 rocket faces limitations such as being non-reusable, more expensive, less flexible for small-scale launches, and suffering from slower launch rates due to bureaucratic constraints. The competition aims to address these issues and ensure Europe's independent launch capabilities in the future.
Science, technology, and finance intersect in the European Space Agency's (ESA) initiative, the European Launcher Challenge (ELC), as each of the selected rocket companies, including Isar Aerospace, Maiaspace, Orbital Express Launch (Orbex), PLD Space, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), receive potential funding of up to €169 million to develop launch capabilities. Furthermore, these companies align their strategies with space-and-astronomy's sustainability and environmental concerns, as demonstrated by Orbex's use of bio-propane fuel and PLD Space's planned Miura Next reusable rocket.
