House capsule with revolutionary inflatable warmth protect marks European milestone

[ad_1] Whereas the USA has lengthy been a frontrunner in house exploration and business launches, Europe is now making important strides of its personal. Just lately, a serious milestone was achieved when Atmos House Cargo, a European startup, efficiently accomplished the primary orbital check flight of its Phoenix 1 re-entry house capsule.

This mission, which launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as a part of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare , marks a brand new chapter in world house logistics.

By demonstrating that Europe can develop and function superior return know-how, Atmos helps to create space extra accessible and environment friendly for researchers, companies and innovators on each side of the Atlantic.

This achievement alerts the arrival of a brand new participant within the house return market and opens the door to better collaboration and competitors within the quickly rising discipline of commercial space logistics .

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/1-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

The mission: From launch to splashdown Phoenix 1 launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as a part of the Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission. After reaching a 45-degree inclination orbit, the capsule accomplished one full journey round Earth. A rigorously timed de-orbit maneuver then despatched Phoenix 1 again towards the planet. Throughout its descent, the capsule deployed an revolutionary inflatable warmth protect, a know-how designed by Atmos to guard the capsule throughout the intense warmth and friction of reentry.

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As Phoenix 1 reentered Earth's atmosphere , it transmitted vital system and payload knowledge to floor stations in South America. The capsule splashed down within the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,240 miles off the Brazilian coast. Due to the distant touchdown location, restoration of the capsule was not deliberate. Nonetheless, the mission's essential goals had been met, and the info collected is now being analyzed to tell future missions.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/2-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

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Why Phoenix 1 is a giant milestone The success of Phoenix 1 establishes Atmos because the fastest-moving non-public house logistics firm in Europe to conduct an orbital return mission. This achievement demonstrates that Europe is on the trail to growing unbiased, sovereign return capabilities.

It additionally reveals that personal trade can prepared the ground in constructing important house infrastructure. Atmos' speedy prototyping strategy allowed the group to develop, qualify and fly Phoenix 1 in lower than a 12 months. This velocity is nearly extraordinary within the house trade and highlights the corporate's dedication to innovation and hands-on problem-solving. The mission additionally proved that multinational collaboration is feasible, as groups from round Europe labored collectively to attain a standard aim.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/3-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

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What was discovered and examined The Phoenix 1 mission had a number of core goals. The group aimed to gather in-flight knowledge from the capsule and its subsystems whereas in orbit. The mission additionally carried scientific and business payloads, together with know-how demonstrators and organic experiments from companions akin to Frontier House, Imperial Faculty London, DLR and IDDK.

One other key aim was to deploy and check the inflatable warmth protect underneath actual reentry situations. Though some knowledge from the ultimate stage of descent couldn't be retrieved as a result of splashdown location, the mission nonetheless supplied worthwhile insights. The information obtained from the capsule has already contributed to the event of Phoenix 2, the next-generation capsule deliberate for launch in 2026.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/4-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

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The know-how: Inflatable warmth protect and speedy prototyping The inflatable warmth protect is a breakthrough in reentry know-how. Conventional capsules depend on heavy, single-use warmth shields or parachutes to outlive reentry. Atmos' design is lighter, extra environment friendly and probably reusable, which may dramatically scale back the fee and complexity of returning cargo from house.

Atmos' growth philosophy is predicated on speedy prototyping and real-world testing. The group believes in constructing and testing {hardware} shortly, studying from every iteration and making enhancements primarily based on actual knowledge relatively than relying solely on simulations. This strategy allowed Phoenix 1 to go from idea to house in document time.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/5-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

The highway forward Atmos is already engaged on Phoenix 2, which can embody its personal propulsion system. This improve will permit the capsule to regulate its reentry trajectory and select its splashdown zone, making restoration a lot simpler and extra sensible. The corporate's imaginative and prescient is to create a versatile, cost-efficient and dependable logistics platform for house, supporting each business and institutional missions.

With a payload effectivity of 1:2, Phoenix already presents the very best mass effectivity in the marketplace. This opens new alternatives for microgravity analysis, in-space manufacturing and biotechnology. The know-how can even help Europe's protection sector and strengthen the continent's unbiased house infrastructure.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/6-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

What this implies for you The success of Phoenix 1 is not only a technical achievement for engineers and scientists. It has the potential to help with many facets of on a regular basis life. Quicker and extra inexpensive entry to house signifies that new applied sciences, medicines and supplies might be developed and examined in microgravity after which introduced again to Earth to be used.

Universities, startups and small firms may have extra alternatives to conduct experiments in house with out the excessive prices and lengthy wait occasions which have been limitations previously. Atmos House Cargo's rising house capabilities may additionally result in new jobs, funding and technological management.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/7-space-capsule-marks-milestone-for-bringing-cargo-back-from-orbit.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Phoenix 1 (Atmos House Cargo)

Kurt's key takeaways Phoenix 1's profitable mission is an indication that house is turning into extra accessible and that innovation is occurring at an unprecedented tempo. By proving that speedy growth and new concepts can work within the difficult setting of house, Atmos House Cargo is paving the best way for a future the place house logistics are as routine as delivery items throughout continents. The following era of breakthroughs in science and know-how could very effectively begin their journey with a journey on a capsule like Phoenix.

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Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of know-how, gear and devices that make life higher along with his contributions for Fox Information & FOX Enterprise starting mornings on "FOX & Associates." Obtained a tech query? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Publication, share your voice, a narrative concept or remark at CyberGuy.com.