Atmos Space Cargo Secures Regulatory Approval for Reentry Technology Demo Mission

Atmos Space Cargo has received the final regulatory green light from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA to launch its Phoenix capsule on a crucial mission designed to demonstrate innovative reentry technologies A positive payload review was required as part of the launch licensing process, and marks the last regulatory step needed for the mission.

Phoenix is scheduled to launch in April as part of SpaceX’s Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission.

“We’re fully authorized and ready to go,” - Sebastian Klaus, Atmos CEO and Co-Founder

Atmos does not require a separate FAA reentry license since the spacecraft will reenter over international waters, and Germany, where the company is based, has no additional licensing requirements.

Phoenix Capsule Ready for Liftoff

The Phoenix spacecraft is fully assembled and has completed all environmental testing, with only final software updates remaining before the launch.

“Physically and from a testing point of view, the spacecraft is ready for launch,” - Sebastian Klaus, Atmos CEO and Co-Founder

Phoenix will launch aboard SpaceX's Bandwagon-3 mission, where it will initially remain attached to the upper stage of a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket while other payloads are deployed. Once the upper stage performs a deorbit maneuver, Phoenix will separate and begin its critical mission.

The mission is expected to last just under three hours, with Phoenix collecting key data while attached to the upper stage. Payloads aboard the capsule include a radiation monitor from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and biotech experiments from Japan’s IDDK and the United Kingdom’s Frontier Space.

Inflatable Decelerator to be Tested During Reentry

A primary focus of the mission is to test the spacecraft’s inflatable decelerator as it reenters Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. The decelerator, a cutting-edge feature designed to control descent, will be monitored using an array of onboard sensors, including temperature and pressure monitors.

Phoenix will transmit data in real-time to the ground using a UHF communications system and Iridium satellite links. The spacecraft is also equipped with an ADS-B transponder to provide tracking data during reentry.

Despite the high-stakes nature of the mission, Atmos has no plans to recover the spacecraft even if it successfully survives reentry.

“It’s comparable to SpaceX’s early Starship test missions, where success was measured by data gathered, not hardware recovery...We expect it will take several flights to perfect the system, but this mission is all about gathering the data we need.” - Sebastian Klaus, Atmos CEO and Co-Founder

Competition for Space Cargo Return Missions

Atmos is entering a competitive market that includes Inversion Space and Varda Space Technologies, both of which launched their return capsules on SpaceX’s Transporter-12 rideshare mission in January. Atmos believe their distinct advantage is in its scalable payload capacity and reusable satellite bus design.

“The inflatable system allows us to return much larger payloads...this first-generation vehicle already supports up to 100 kilograms, and future versions will handle several tons. We’re seeing strong demand from biotech and in-space manufacturing industries, as well as interest from the U.S. military for rapid cargo delivery.” - Sebastian Klaus, Atmos CEO and Co-Founder

“The ability to return life sciences research, microgravity-manufactured products, and even military assets could redefine in-space transportation,” - Lori Garver, Former NASA Deputy Administrator and Atmos Board Member

The Second Phoenix Mission

Atmos is already developing its second Phoenix spacecraft, which will be larger and designed to spend weeks or months in orbit before reentering.

The next mission is expected to launch within a year and will further expand the company’s capabilities for extended-duration missions.

With the April mission on the horizon, Atmos Space Cargo is poised to take a major step in proving its reentry technology, a key component in the broader vision of revolutionizing space cargo transport.