Posted: Sun, May 26, 2024, 11:23 AM ET (1523 GMT)
ESA has selected two companies to begin work on designs for commercial cargo vehicles that could be precursors for crewed spacecraft. ESA announced Wednesday it awarded contracts worth 25 million euros each to Thales Alenia Space and The Exploration Company for the first phase of a low Earth orbit cargo return service program. The contracts will allow the companies to advance their designs, with work to build and demonstrate the vehicles to be funded by a second phase pending support from ESA members at a 2025 ministerial meeting. ESA hopes to have at least one vehicle ready by 2028 to transport cargo to the International Space Station and commercial space stations.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  European Spaceflight article
•  ESA press release