At the heart of European dynamism in space exploration, the Franco-German start-up, The Exploration Company, stands out with its ambitious project: the creation of Nyx, a reusable spacecraft. With funding of 150 million euros obtained in 2024, the company aims to propel Europe to the forefront of NewSpace. The Nyx capsule, scheduled for its first flight in 2028, promises to revolutionize space transportation by significantly reducing costs. Founded by Hélène Huby, TEC embodies a new era where transnational collaboration and innovation merge to reinvent the future of cosmic exploration.
The vision of The Exploration Company
The Exploration Company (TEC) embodies the future of space exploration with its development of reusable capsules. This Franco-German start-up, founded in 2021, distinguishes itself with its ambitious project of the Nyx spacecraft. By raising a record sum of 150 million euros in 2024, the company is already orchestrating the first steps towards the inaugural flight scheduled for 2028. The objective is bold: to make the Nyx capsule a leader in providing economical and ecological space transportation solutions.
Technological innovations and ambitions
The Nyx capsule is part of a sustainability perspective, drawing inspiration from recent successes in the space field. With a reusable design and a refueling capability, it carries the hope of revolutionizing space logistics. This project, supported by a collective of French and German sovereign funds such as French Tech Souveraineté from Bpifrance, reflects the confidence of the European continent in TEC’s capabilities. Through these innovations, the company hopes to revitalize interest in lunar exploration and logistical support for future orbital stations.
A project grounded in the future of European NewSpace
As an emerging player in European NewSpace, TEC is committed to shocking the metrics in terms of funding and talent mobilization. The start-up plans to strengthen its current team of 200 experts by recruiting more specialists while increasing its productivity. The path to 2028 will be marked by launches of prototype vehicles, including the orbiting of the Mission Possible capsule as early as this year. With these key steps, The Exploration Company sets the bar high in the race for reducing space transportation costs across Europe.
