German payload aggregator and in-space logistics company Exolaunch has been awarded a contract to launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Arctic Weather Satellite (AWS). In addition to being the first ESA launch contract awarded to the Berlin-based company, the awarding also marks a significant milestone for the agency as the first launch contract awarded through a competitive tender call instead of directly to one of its preferred vendors.
“Securing our first launch contract with the European Space Agency marks a significant milestone in Exolaunch’s journey. This collaboration is not just about a single mission; it’s about establishing a foundation of trust with a prestigious institution like ESA,” said Exolaunch CCO Jeanne Allarie.
Since 2013, Exolaunch has managed the launch of 363 satellites aboard 25 missions. The company utilizes a number of different vehicles, including the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, Rocket Lab Electron, and ISRO PSLV, in conjunction with its suite of separation systems, deployers, and adaptors.
On 31 January, the company announced that it had been awarded its first ESA contract to launch the agency’s AWS weather satellite. The 120-kilogram satellite was built by an OHB-led consortium, with the satellite’s primary passive microwave radiometer instrument being supplied by Sweden’s AAC Omnisys. AWS will serve as a demonstrator for a potential constellation of satellites that would supply an almost constant stream of temperature and humidity data from anywhere on Earth.
AWS will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission in June. The deployment will utilize the Exolaunch CarboNIX satellite separation system, which the company describes as a scalable shock-free separation system.
A shift towards a competitive contracting process
Traditionally, ESA has relied on Ariane and Vega vehicles to launch all of its missions. However, with the retirement of Ariane 5, the delayed introduction of Ariane 6, the grounding of Vega C, and the challenges faced by the final flight of Vega, the agency is without any of its preferred launch providers. As a result, any payload ready to launch in 2024 needs to find another ride to space. While it would be great if one of the many European launch startups were able to take up the slack, we are still awaiting the maiden launch of even the most promising of the bunch. As a result, ESA is forced to look elsewhere.
The agency began to move payloads over to SpaceX in October 2022 with the announcement that Euclid and Hera would be launched aboard Falcon 9 missions. However, these awards were, from all appearances, not done through a competitive process but through executive decisions. The awarding of the AWS contract to Exolaunch is the first time that ESA has selected a preferred launch provider through a competitive call. And while it will nonetheless be carried out aboard a Falcon 9 flight, a European company will also benefit from the award.
