On February 5, 2025, the German space logistics company ATMOS Space Cargo announced that Phoenix, their innovative return capsule, will fly its first test mission to low-Earth orbit (LEO) in April 2025. The two-way space logistic platform will launch with other payloads on the SpaceX Bandwagon-3 mission after receiving clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in January 2025, a first for a European private company.
Phoenix will be the last payload deployed during the rideshare mission after the first deorbit burn of Falcon 9’s second stage. After two orbits around the Earth, the capsule will initiate atmospheric re-entry, testing its inflatable heat shield.
ATMOS is going to space! Our PHOENIX re-entry capsule received FAA approval and is set to fly on @SpaceX #Bandwagon3 rideshare mission NET April 2025.
— ATMOS Space Cargo (@AtmosSpaceCargo) February 5, 2025
On this test flight, ATMOS will become the first private entity in European history to attempt space re-entry, while setting a… pic.twitter.com/w3Fai6HXGx
“Our first test flight is what the team at ATMOS has been working towards relentlessly. I am proud to lead this mission at such a crucial moment for Europe. Our space industry needs disruptive innovation to compete on a global scale.”
— Sebastian Klaus, CEO and Co-Founder of ATMOS Space Cargo
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Phoenix’s first mission: objectives and payloads
The Phoenix 1 prototype’s test flight aims to collect in-flight data from the vehicle, deploy the innovative heat shield, and stabilize the attitude while entering the atmosphere. According to the ATMOS press release, “the mission is expected to conclude with the prototype’s demise during re-entry”.
Instead of flying with a payload simulator, the capsule will host three scientific experiments and technology demonstrators:
- The M-42 Radiation Detector, developed by the German Space Agency (DLR) will measure the level of radiation during orbit.
- IDKK’s Micro Imaging Device (MID) is a revolutionary microscopic observation technology for microgravity laboratories. It combines optical and semiconductor technologies.
- SpaceLab by Frontier Space, is a scalable, modular, autonomous lab-in-a-box for in-orbit manufacturing and biopharma R&D.
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A disruptive low-cost technology already booked for several missions
The Phoenix platform is designed to offer a payload efficiency of 1:2, currently the highest in the market, reducing the down mass costs. This capability aims to open the microgravity environment for numerous industries and organizations.
Recently, ATMOS piqued the space ecosystem’s interest with a contract for seven Phoenix missions signed by Space Cargo Unlimited (SCU), a company unleashing the potential of space microgravity for commercial applications. SCU will leverage Phoenix’s hosting and re-entry capabilities to send to LEO its innovative research and manufacturing platform, Bentobox.
The initial Phoenix-Bentobox mission is scheduled for Q4 2025, and the remaining six will occur in 2026 and 2027.
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