The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a service contract to The Exploration Company (TEC), for the next phase of Europe's commercial cargo return programme (previously known as LCRS), marking a significant step toward establishing an independent European capability for transportation to and from low Earth orbit.
In 2022, ESA Member States endorsed the concept of the Leo Cargo Return Service (LCRS), a competition for European industry, asking companies to propose a first step towards a cargo service to and from space stations in low Earth orbit, such as the International Space Station. After evaluating several proposals from European companies, ESA had previously selected two projects, awarding an initial 25 million euros of funding to each to support them in developing the cargo service.
During the Council at Ministerial level in November 2025, ESA Member States confirmed the importance of the project which is now entering Phase 2 under a new name: ALADDIN (Autonomous LEO Accelerated Demo Docking to ISS Node). This new denomination reflects its focus on accelerated development timelines and on demonstrating autonomous docking capability with the International Space Station (ISS) within a constrained operational window.
Opened for tender in March 2026, the Phase 2 moves from early development to full system completion and in-orbit demonstration. In this process, ESA selected TEC for the Phase 2 contract award, recognizing the technical and business milestones met in TEC's proposal. The total value of the contract signed at the Space Summit amounts to €760 million, with €310 million allocated for the demo mission and optional two additional service missions for a total of €450 million, to be confirmed later.
"Europe is taking a big step towards greater autonomy in space. With ALADDIN, we are accelerating the development of a European capability to transport cargo to and from low Earth orbit. At the same time, we are enabling European companies to innovate faster, attract private investment and compete globally. Today's agreement with The Exploration Company shows how ESA can act as an anchor customer- strengthening Europe's commercial space sector and turning ambition into reality," said Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General.
At the International Space Summit organised in Paris, ESA and TEC signed the contract for an initial Nyx capsule demonstration mission to the ISS and two additional cargo missions to the ISS, or a future commercial space station. The award marks the first and largest capsule transportation service contract awarded by ESA to a European space company and paves the way for independent European access to the ISS or future Commercial LEO Destinations.
The decision comes as the global space sector enters a new phase. Demand is increasing, driven by connectivity, exploration, defense, and emerging infrastructure in low Earth orbit, while the industrial model is shifting toward commercially delivered services, with public agencies acting as anchor customers. As part of the tender, The Exploration Company was able to successfully demonstrate key technical readiness milestones as well as having secured 40% of the financing for the Nyx demonstration from private investors. ESA will cover the remaining 60%.
"This is more than a contract award: it reflects a shift in how we build space technology in Europe," said Hélène Huby, CEO and Founder of The Exploration Company. "We started the development of Nyx with private funding only, and we are now at a technical maturity level where ESA and Member States' public funding can support us massively, as anchor clients, to help us finalize the vehicle. It is also the first time in Europe that a five-year-old space startup wins a contract worth hundreds of millions of euros in open competition."
The European approach is also evolving, requiring more commercial, product-driven development models and greater openness to competition.
"This contract officially launches the Phase 2 of ALADDIN, getting Europe one step closer to developing a key capability which only a handful of nations have mastered," said Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA's Director for Human and Robotic Exploration. "As we move into the next phase and the project progresses toward completion, The Exploration Company is advancing and mastering technologies that will remain in Europe and support a wide range of strategic industries."
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