The Bordeaux-Munich start-up The Exploration Company, is launching, on Wednesday, a fundraising of 40.5 million euros in series A, “to promote the transition to an era of accessible space exploration.
This type of fundraising can accelerate the development of a start-up.
Partly based in Mérignac, near Bordeaux, the company is building a reusable space capsule called Nyx, which can be used by private and public operators to ferry cargo into space, resupply space stations and ultimately transport humans.
The funds raised will be used to market the space capsule, finalize and launch the second capsule demonstrator, as well as to strengthen the team.
Reusable vehicle
Founded in July 2021 by Hélène Huby and a team of aerospace engineers, The Exploration Company built its first atmospheric re-entry demonstrator in nine months.
The latter will be taken on the maiden flight of Ariane 6, scheduled for the end of the year.
The start-up is currently developing its second demonstrator, which is expected to fly in 2024. The final vehicle, Nyx, is scheduled for 2026. It will carry cargo into space to service space stations and pursue long-term exploration missions .
The vehicle can be reused multiple times and can be refueled in orbit.
It is also "agnostic", which means that it can be launched by several rockets.
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Space conquest
start-up
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