Nyx by The Exploration Company: status and timeline

Nyx

Reusable orbital capsule for cargo and eventually crew. 4,000 kg to LEO, 3,000 kg return capacity. Features autonomous docking, service module with propulsion and power, and heat shield designed for multiple flights.

PilotStage 3 of 5

Test flight reached orbit June 2025; lost parachute on reentry. First ISS mission scheduled 2028.

Updated 24 Jun 2025Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Nyx first official mission to ISS

The Exploration Company founded2021Complete.
Nyx development begins2021Complete.
Series B €150M funding closedNov 2024Complete.
Mission Possible reaches orbit and completes reentry23 Jun 2025Complete.
Series C $450M funding closedSep 2026Complete.
ESA €760M contract signed for Nyx demonstration to ISS10 Sep 2026Complete.
Nyx first official mission to ISSTarget Nov 2028Not yet reached.
Nyx crewed certificationTarget 2029Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

Nov 2028Nyx first official mission to ISSin about 107 weeks (next)
2029Nyx crewed certification
2029First orbital refueling demonstration

Current obstacles

Parachute system reliabilityMission Possible parachute failed to deploy during June 2025 reentry. New design required before operational missions.
Autonomous docking and orbital refuelingAutonomous docking and in-orbit propellant transfer must be extremely reliable for crewed missions.
Heat shield thermal protection for reuseAblative shields designed for multiple flights require validation. Between-flight turnaround and inspection procedures must be efficient.

Physics limits

Reentry heating fundamental to orbital mechanicsAll objects returning from orbit face ~1,500 °C heat from air friction at 7.8 km/s. Material science and heat shield design limit what can be recovered.
Parachute scalingLarger payloads require proportionally larger parachute systems. The mass and volume trade-offs limit overall vehicle efficiency.

How it works

4 parts

Capsule Design

Pressure vessel with autonomous docking

Rigid pressurized capsule with autonomous docking system for cargo and crew. Fully reusable design.

Service Module

Propulsion and power

Solar panels, main engine for orbit adjustments, RCS thrusters for attitude control. Separates before reentry.

Reentry & Recovery

Heat shield and parachute descent

Ablative heat shield protects during reentry at orbital speeds. Parachute system (in development) for controlled descent and ocean recovery.

Reusability

Refurbishment between flights

Recovered capsule is inspected, heat shield replaced, and relaunched. Reduces per-mission cost compared to expendable capsules.

Spec sheet

Spec	Nyx
Payload to LEO	4,000 kg^R (reported)
Return cargo to Earth	3,000 kg^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Tue 24 Jun 2025

Major: Nyx Mission Possible parachute failure during reentry testPressTest

Mon 23 Jun 2025

Major: Mission Possible test flight reaches orbit aboard Falcon 9 Transporter-14PressTest

About The Exploration Company

The team behind Nyx

The Exploration Company

Nyx reusable capsule, Storm rocket engine

European space company founded 2021. Develops Nyx, a reusable orbital capsule (4,000 kg to LEO, 3,000 kg return), and Storm, a high-thrust engine. Dual headquarters in Gauting, Germany and Le Haillan, France. Over 400 employees.

€150M Series B (Nov 2024) led by Balderton Capital and Plural.
$450M Series C (Sept 2026) led by Bessemer, Atomico and Scaleup Europe Fund.
€760M ESA contract (Sept 2026) for Nyx demonstration to ISS plus two optional cargo missions.

exploration.space (opens exploration.space)Company profile →

Founded: 20215 yrs
Headquarters: GermanyFrance
Status: Private
Valuation: $2Best. privateSep 2026estimate
Staff: ~417Jul 2026
Raised: $623M2 rounds
Last round: Series C · $450MSep 2026
Works in: SpaceflightCrew & stations
Coverage: 2 programs · 5 updateslatest 10 Sep 2026checked 10 Oct
Lead investors: Bessemer Venture PartnersAtomicoScaleup Europe FundBalderton CapitalPlural
Customers: Celestis (opens celestis.com)
Partners: European Space Agency (opens esa.int)France (CNES) (opens cnes.fr)Germany (opens bmwk.de)
People: Hélène Huby (opens en.wikipedia.org)CEO & Co-founder

Spec

Nyx

Payload to LEO

4,000 kg^R (reported)

Return cargo to Earth

3,000 kg^R (reported)