BREMEN, Germany — French launch vehicle startup Latitude has signed a multi-launch contract with Atmos Space Cargo, a company developing commercial reentry vehicles.
In a deal announced at Space Tech Expo Europe here Nov. 19, Atmos will buy a minimum of five launches a year of Latitudeâ€s Zephyr rocket between 2028 and 2032. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Each launch will place a Phoenix spacecraft into very low Earth orbit, or VLEO. The spacecraft are designed to accommodate payloads for microgravity research in fields like pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, returning them to Earth.
“Weâ€re proud to have earned the trust of a unique operator in the European space industry,†Adeline Pitrois, head of sales at Latitude, said in a statement. “This demonstrates also that Zephyr is particularly well adapted to the growing LEO and VLEO markets.â€
“The enormous progress that Latitude has made gives us confidence they will become a premier European launch provider and a great partner for Atmos,†said Sebastian Klaus, chief executive of Atmos, in the same statement.
Both companies are still in the development phases of their vehicles. Atmos raised 1.3 million euros ($1.4 million) in February in the extension of a seed round that initial generated 4 million euros for the company in 2023. Atmos bid on, but was not selected for, the European Space Agencyâ€s commercial cargo initiative earlier this year.
Latitude raised $30 million in January to continue development of Zephyr, a rocket capable of placing up to 200 kilograms into low Earth orbit. The company has a goal of performing as many as 50 launches annually by 2029.
Aurélie Bressollette, who became chief executive of Latitude Nov. 5, said during a panel at Space Tech Expo Europe Nov. 19 that the company remains on schedule for a first launch by the end of 2025, with tests of an engine turbopump assembly planned for late this year followed by full-scale engine tests early next year. “We are completely on our way,†she said.
