US-based lunar logistics company Astrobotic and Norwegian spaceport operator Andøya Space have signed a term sheet outlining the framework for a Launch Site Agreement. The agreement, once finalized, will facilitate flights of Astrobotic’s Xodiac lander testbed from the Andøya Space facilities.
The Xodiac vertical takeoff, vertical landing rocket was initially developed by Masten Space Systems to simulate landing on the Moon and Mars. When Masten filed for bankruptcy in 2022, Astrobotic acquired its intellectual property and assets, including the Xodiac vehicle, and absorbed Masten’s staff into its newly established Propulsion and Test Department.
On 4 September 2025, Andøya Space announced that in August, it had signed a term sheet with Astrobotic for a Launch Site Agreement. Beginning in 2026, the deal would see Astrobotic conduct “several” Xodiac flight campaigns from Andøya Space facilities on the Norwegian coast.
The test campaigns conducted in Norway will be used to validate flight systems and hardware, with the aim of reducing risk and advancing the development of key technologies for terrestrial and space applications.
“Xodiac’s presence at Andøya represents a meaningful step toward delivering reliable, rapid, and cost-effective testing and demonstration capabilities to the European space market,” said Astrobotic CEO John Thornton. “By making a flight-proven, reusable rocket available to commercial and government partners, we’re enabling customers to accelerate the development of space systems in a dedicated environment built for innovation.”
In January 2025, Norway and the United States formalized a Technology Safeguards Agreement that established a legal and technical framework to facilitate the export of commercial launch vehicles and satellites to Norway for launch from Andøya Space facilities. Astrobotic’s plan to utilize Andøya Space facilities for flights of its Xodiac vehicle appears to be the first practical use of this framework.
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