ATMOS Space Cargo completes first orbital-return mission

PHOENIX 1 successfully launches into orbit on Falcon 9 and completes re-entry with innovative inflatable heat shield

Lichtenau, April 23, 2025 - The German space startup ATMOS Space Cargo returned its own return capsule from orbit for the first time on April 22, 2025. The capsule, named PHOENIX 1, was launched on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the US spaceport Cape Canaveral and completed a full orbit of the Earth, including a controlled re-entry into the atmosphere.

Among other things, the company used this mission to test a newly developed inflatable heat shield, which is intended to enable atmospheric re-entry without having to resort to conventional heat protection materials or parachutes.

Mission objectives fulfilled according to ATMOS

According to the company from Lichtenau (Baden-Württemberg), the central mission objectives were achieved. These include

• the collection of telemetry data during the flight,
• the function of central subsystems in orbit,
• the transmission of scientific data from payloads to ground stations,
• and the successful deployment and stabilization of the heat shield before entering the Earth's atmosphere.

Recovery of the capsule was not planned due to the flight path. The Entry Interface Point (EIP), i.e. the point of atmospheric re-entry, was located around 2,000 kilometers south-east of the Brazilian coast.

Technology test for further capsule generation

According to the company, PHOENIX 1 was developed in less than a year. The mission not only served to test its own technologies, but also to prepare for the next generation: PHOENIX 2 is already under development and is scheduled to launch in 2026. Among other things, the future version will be able to autonomously determine its return trajectory and transport larger payloads.

Scientific and commercial payloads on board

In addition to system tests, PHOENIX 1 carried its first scientific and technological payloads. Participants included the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Imperial College London (UK) and the Japanese company IDDK. The capsule transported demonstrators and biological experiments for initial tests under microgravity conditions.

ATMOS positions itself as a private repatriation partner in Europe

With this successful test, ATMOS is positioning itself as a pioneer among European space start-ups in the field of return technology. The company is pursuing the goal of establishing an independent logistics infrastructure for return transports from space - for research institutions, industrial customers and security-relevant applications, among others.

In the long term, the PHOENIX platform will support both commercial and institutional missions. Potential fields of application include microgravity experiments, biotechnology, materials testing and in-orbit manufacturing.

The startup

ATMOS was founded in 2022 and focuses on the development of return services for space cargo from low Earth orbit (LEO). The company sees itself as a link between Earth and orbit and aims to contribute to the long-term scaling of European space logistics.

ATMOS intends to publish further details on the mission results once the ongoing data analysis has been completed. The development of the second capsule generation is running in parallel. In addition to further technical development, an expansion of operational capacities is also planned - with the aim of offering repeatable, cost-efficient return solutions in the medium term.