German space logistics startup Atmos Space Cargo said the debut test flight of its Phoenix 1 capsule “achieved its primary objectives,” despite the loss of key data on its inflatable heat shield.
In a postflight update, Atmos on Wednesday said it received in-flight data from the capsule and its customer payloads. But communication went dark during the critical final stage of descent. The company had hoped to gain insights about its innovative Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator—a giant, lightweight parachute that functions as both a heat shield and zero-fuel alternative to propulsive landing systems.
Sebastian Klaus, co-founder and CEO of Atmos, said in a Tuesday briefing that the heat shield may have inflated as planned. But without a thorough analysis of the data the company managed to collect, it is too soon to tell.
Wednesday’s update instead highlighted the mission’s positives, such as the activation of key systems on orbit. Atmos claimed the flight makes it the “fastest-moving private space logistics company in Europe to conduct an orbital return mission.” Phoenix 1 was developed and qualified for flight in less than 12 months.
“Completing this mission with a flight-ready capsule in such a short time frame is a major validation of our design and approach under real conditions,” Klaus said Wednesday.
Lessons Learned
Atmos is developing a vehicle that is designed to make returning cargo from low-Earth orbit cheaper, faster, and more reliable than existing options.
Phoenix 1, a prototype, has a payload capacity of 220 pounds and carried technology demonstrators and experiments for three customers on its maiden flight. The more robust Phoenix 2, though, is being designed for multiton payloads from commercial and institutional customers focused on microgravity research, in-space manufacturing, and biotechnology. Atmos plans to launch it in 2026.
The startup on Wednesday said “future iterations of the capsule” are already being developed using in-flight data collected from Phoenix 1, despite the ambiguity around the heat shield.
The prototype flew as a payload on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-3 mission, launching atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday. After completing one full orbit strapped to Falcon 9, Phoenix 1 split off and began its return trajectory. As planned, the heat shield inflated prior to reentry.
After that, no more data came in. Initial plans called for a splashdown and recovery to analyze the capsule. However, a late change in trajectory by SpaceX derailed those efforts. Atmos set up ground stations near the new reentry location, but they came up empty. Phoenix 2 will be capable of setting its own return trajectory and splashdown location, the firm said.
Atmos said it will share more about the mission after poring over the data it received from orbit. The company added that it “remains on track for its next development milestones and planned series of orbital flights.” The firm has a partnership with Luxembourg’s Space Cargo Unlimited for seven multiweek reentry missions over the next two years. The first is scheduled for as early as late 2025.
“We designed Phoenix 1 to move fast without compromising core reliability, fundamental for any spacecraft,” said Christian Grimm, co-founder and lead systems engineer at Atmos. “This flight—and the engineering process that led us here—taught us valuable lessons on the design of the next iteration, Phoenix 2.”
Credit: flyingmag.com
