In a significant step toward independent European space capabilities, two companies have formalized plans for a pioneering microgravity research mission set to launch in 2026. Atmos Space Cargo, based in France and Germany, and Luxembourg’s Space Cargo Unlimited announced on November 12, 2025, the signing of a mission order for their integrated Phoenix 2–BentoBox flight. This collaboration aims to demonstrate commercial in-orbit manufacturing and research, free from reliance on the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission will see Space Cargo Unlimited’s BentoBox platform – a compact, autonomous system designed for microgravity experiments – integrated into Atmos Space Cargo’s Phoenix 2 spacecraft. BentoBox will handle payload operations, maintaining stable environmental conditions, power distribution, and data exchange during the multi-week orbital stay. The Phoenix 2, a reusable orbital free-flyer equipped with an innovative inflatable atmospheric decelerator (IAD) for reentry, will carry the platform to low Earth orbit (LEO) via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare launch. After completing its objectives, the spacecraft will return BentoBox to Earth, with recovery planned near the Azores in Portugal.
This flight marks the inaugural effort in a series of seven missions planned through 2027, originally outlined in a partnership announced in December 2024. While the initial timeline targeted a first launch in late 2025, the companies have now confirmed 2026 for the debut, reflecting refined development schedules. The program emphasizes sovereign European access to space logistics, enabling routine two-way transport for applications in pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, and biotechnology.
Nicolas Gaume, CEO of Space Cargo Unlimited, highlighted the commercial viability: “This first mission showcases not just our hardware, but our business model. We are getting strong commercial traction, with much of the payload space already allocated.” He added that the flight will elevate technology readiness levels (TRLs) for customers and validate space as a “factory for Earth.” Sebastian Klaus, CEO of Atmos Space Cargo, echoed this sentiment: “The combination of BentoBox’s autonomous payload operations with Phoenix 2’s reusable orbital free-flyer and cutting-edge re-entry technology creates a complete end-to-end service that sets new benchmarks for space logistics.”
Funding has been important to these advancements. In September 2025, Space Cargo Unlimited secured 27.5 million euros ($31.8 million) in a Series A round led by Expansion Ventures, with contributions from the European Investment Bank and Luxembourg Future Fund II. Earlier, in February 2025, Atmos received 13.1 million euros from the European Innovation Council Accelerator to support Phoenix 2 development.
Atmos has prior flight experience, having launched its Phoenix 1 demonstrator in April 2025 on a SpaceX rideshare. That mission tested the IAD technology, achieving partial success despite last-minute trajectory changes imposed by SpaceX that limited data collection.
The initiative has garnered attention across European media, underscoring growing momentum in the continent’s New Space sector. This partnership positions Europe to compete in the expanding market for in-space manufacturing, potentially reducing costs and accelerating innovation in microgravity applications.
