PHOENIX 2: FIRST OF SEVEN MISSIONS TO LAUNCH 2026

PHOENIX 2:

FIRST OF SEVEN MISSIONS

TO LAUNCH 2026

Space Cargo Unlimited and
ATMOS Space Cargo Target
2026 Launch For First of
Seven Autonomous
Manufacturing Missions to
Low Earth Orbit

12 November 2025

Strasbourg

This mission combines ATMOS’s PHOENIX 2 return capsule with Space Cargo Unlimited’s BentoBox microgravity platform to establish Europe’s first fully commercial two-way orbital logistics service.

Strasbourg, France and Foetz, Luxembourg – 12 November 2025 – ATMOS Space Cargo (ATMOS) and Space Cargo Unlimited today announced the signing of a Mission Order for their first integrated PHOENIX–BentoBox mission, marking the beginning of a seven-flight program that will establish a new operational model for routine commercial, station-independent access to and from orbit for research and manufacturing in microgravity.

The mission will demonstrate the integration of Space Cargo Unlimited’s BentoBox inside ATMOS’s next-generation PHOENIX 2 free-flyer re-entry vehicle under a coordinated operational framework that combines orbital logistics, payload operations in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), and recovery in one end-to-end commercial service. PHOENIX 2 will launch as part of a rideshare mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2026.

During the multi-week mission, Space Cargo Unlimited will oversee end-user payload operations in orbit through its BentoBox platform, while managing stable environmental conditions within the PHOENIX 2 payload bay, distributing power to end-user payloads, and facilitating continuous data exchange through ATMOS’s on-board communications and ground segment infrastructure.

ATMOS will deploy its inaugural PHOENIX 2 re-entry capsule, and execute launch integration, orbital mission control operations, telemetry and command services, autonomous de-orbit, re-entry, and recovery logistics near Santa Maria in the Azores, Portugal.

Two Complementary Systems – A New Model for Microgravity Access

PHOENIX 2 serves both as the in-orbit transportation and operational free-flyer platform as well as the re-entry vehicle, through its Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator (IAD) technology, which functions as both a heat shield and aerodynamic brake. The design eliminates the need for traditional ablative systems and significantly reduces environmental impact while offering superior payload-to-mass efficiencies in its class. ATMOS’s second generation capsule features integrated propulsion for attitude control and precision de-orbiting maneuvers, power generation and thermal management systems, and comprehensive telemetry and command capabilities.

BentoBox, designed and operated by Space Cargo Unlimited, serves as the mission’s payload operations layer, equipping PHOENIX with a controlled, service-oriented environment for commercial and research users.

The BentoBox system manages payload-level power distribution, data handling, and autonomous experiment sequencing, ensuring that each customer’s mission profile is executed precisely as designed within a stable, thermally regulated microgravity environment.

Space Cargo Unlimited’s customers interface with their payloads through the BentoBox SpaceOS platform – a secure dedicated payload-control suite that facilitates command uplink, telemetry monitoring, and data retrieval throughout the mission lifecycle, with communications enabled by ATMOS’s ground-segment and communications infrastructure.

Together, PHOENIX 2 and BentoBox deliver a fully integrated orbital logistics and manufacturing service, combining payload launch, in-orbit operations, and safe return and recovery on Earth, broadening commercial access and scientific capacity in LEO.

“This first mission showcases not just our hardware, but our business model,” said Nicolas Gaume, Co-Founder and CEO of Space Cargo Unlimited. “The mission is already seeing strong commercial traction, with payload opportunities largely allocated and additional engagements underway. This flight will raise TRLs for our customers, validate their models, and demonstrate the potential of space as a factory for Earth.”

“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”, added Sebastian Klaus, Co-Founder and CEO of ATMOS Space Cargo. “Together, ATMOS and SCU are building the infrastructure that will make microgravity manufacturing as routine and accessible as terrestrial production, strengthening Europe’s sovereign access to and from orbit in the post-ISS era.”

PHOENIX 2 Orbital Free-Flyer Spacecraft

BentoBox Payload Platform

Integrated System Configuration

European Collaboration and Investment

The partnership reflects Europe’s growing commitment to strategic, sovereign infrastructure, and the transition to a post-ISS industrialization of space.

Space Cargo Unlimited recently secured €27.5 million in Series A financing, marking Europe’s largest raise for in-space manufacturing. The round was led by Expansion Ventures and Eurazeo, with participation from the European Innovation Council, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg Future Fund II, and private investors.

ATMOS Space Cargo recently received €13.1 million through the EIC Accelerator to advance its PHOENIX 2 program, with two capsules currently in development. On 21 April 2025, the company demonstrated its first prototype capsule, PHOENIX 1, in a test flight to Low Earth Orbit and return, generating real-world system and customer payload data for the further development of its technology.

With the International Space Station scheduled for decommissioning by 2030, this first of seven planned flights represents a critical juncture in establishing station-independent access to orbital microgravity platforms for research and industry.

ATMOS manages FAA licensing for their spacecraft in collaboration with SCU, and handles re-entry licensing in collaboration with relevant authorities for re-entry compliance.

More details surrounding the launch date will be confirmed after official updates from the launch provider. Mission timelines, launch windows, and manifest details may change based on launch provider scheduling and final approval by all parties.

About the Partnership

Space Cargo Unlimited is a European space operator pioneering independent research and manufacturing in orbit. Building on more than a decade of heritage in microgravity research and payload operations, the company develops and operates automated platforms that give institutions and industries worldwide the ability to innovate in space with confidence and control. Its first commercial system, BentoBox, is a modular, platform designed for multi-user missions.

By managing power, data, and experiment automation within a thermally stable environment, BentoBox provides the reliable conditions and operational flexibility required for high-value research and scalable production in orbit. Beginning in 2026, BentoBox will conduct multi-week missions aboard reusable spacecraft, opening new opportunities for applied research and industrial manufacturing in Low-Earth Orbit. Through this dedicated, end-to-end service, Space Cargo Unlimited strengthens Europe’s sovereign space infrastructure while enabling global innovation with tangible benefits for Earth.
www.space-cu.com

ATMOS Space Cargo is a European space company with offices in Lichtenau (Germany) and Strasbourg (France), developing lightweight, reusable space capsules to transport, operate and return cargo of any size from Low Earth Orbit.

PHOENIX is a reusable orbital transfer and return vehicle (OTRV) for autonomous cargo operations. Equipped with an Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator (IAD) serving as both heat shield and aerodynamic brake, its non-ablative design minimizes material loss and environmental impact while maximizing payload-to-mass efficiency and re-entry control.

By closing the loop of space logistics, ATMOS supports in-orbit manufacturing, advanced materials, and microgravity research, and contributes to building a sustainable and reliable European space infrastructure that enhances access to space and strengthens long-term technological sovereignty.