Tumbleweed has raised €6.9 million to finance additional microgravity research missions and develop Oasis Beta, a spacecraft designed to return experimental samples to Earth. The Vienna-based company’s funding announcement on November 3, 2026, identifies three missions planned for 2027 and a return-capable platform targeted for 2028.
The seed funding round was led by PactVC, with participation from Vanagon Ventures, Prototype Capital, EWOR, and other investors. The planned 2027 missions are expected to carry more than 10 customers. The financing follows Oasis Alpha’s July 2026 flight, which hosted experiments for four customers.
Standardized Containers for Customer Experiments
Tumbleweed organizes its service around a modular container called Pod. Customers develop their experiments for the container, which supplies power and data connections. Tumbleweed handles spacecraft integration and mission operations, allowing a laboratory or manufacturer to send an experiment without developing an entire satellite.
The company advertises several container sizes. Pod Nano measures 10 by 10 by 2.5 centimeters and includes a 250-gram payload allowance. Pod Mini measures 10 centimeters on each side and includes one kilogram. The largest listed configuration measures 20 centimeters on each side and includes eight kilograms.
This standardized interface defines the physical space available to an experiment and its connection to the spacecraft. Customers install their payload and software before delivery. Once the spacecraft reaches orbit, Tumbleweed operates the mission and provides the experiment’s data.
Adding the Return Journey
Oasis Beta is intended to add the physical recovery of experimental material to that service. Returning samples allows customers to examine material on Earth after exposure to the orbital environment, supplementing measurements transmitted during flight.
In an interview with Payload, chief executive Julian Rothenbuchner said the company is also evaluating partnerships with other return-vehicle providers. Developing Oasis Beta would give Tumbleweed direct control over more of the transportation process.
The company has booked both suborbital and orbital flights for 2027. On at least one mission, it plans to demonstrate payload integration late in launch preparations. That approach is intended to accommodate live samples and other experiments that cannot remain stored for weeks before flight. Development of Oasis Beta will proceed alongside those missions, with its first missions targeted for 2028.
