The Exploration Company, a European startup, is developing a cargo vehicle, Nyx, with an upcoming key test flight. Their long-term vision, however, extends to crewed spaceflights. At the Paris Air Show, they showcased an updated Nyx model, highlighting plans for a test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2028 via a European Space Agency (ESA) program.
Initially designed for cargo missions, Nyx is slated for a crewed adaptation. The displayed model featured two astronauts alongside cargo. Victor Maier, lead for Germany and central Europe business, stated, “We have already done the first studies.” A fully crewed Nyx could accommodate four or five astronauts, boasting features like windows and touchscreen displays, similar to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The company is pursuing a crewed version now due to the need to support ISS and future commercial station flights where astronauts will interact with the docked vehicle. “So, we’re already ticking some of the boxes for certifying for human spaceflight once we’re docked to the station.”
Developing a crewed Nyx is estimated to take 10 years and cost approximately €1 billion ($1.15 billion). Maier emphasized the necessity of European government support, stating, “We need Europe to decide if we want to have this in Europe.” He highlighted the upcoming ESA ministerial conference in Bremen as a crucial decision point, adding, “We need Europe, because no country alone would be able to do it.”
Currently, The Exploration Company is concentrating on the cargo version of Nyx. Their manifest includes six missions: a demonstration mission for ESA, three for Starlab Space, and individual missions for Axiom Space and Vast. The next test flight, “Mission Possible,” a larger spacecraft (1.6 tons, 2.5 meters diameter), will comprehensively test all technologies for Nyx, from reentry to splashdown. It carries approximately 300 kilograms of cargo, encompassing various experiments, demonstrating “different use cases for the future commercialization of space.” “Mission Possible” will launch via SpaceX’s Transporter-14 mission, imminently, with a recovery ship already en route to the Pacific Ocean splashdown location.