Commercial cargo redux … The launch deal follows the award of a service contract to The Exploration Company by the European Space Agency worth 760 million euros ($880 million) to support the development of Nyx, a demonstration mission, and two operational cargo missions. “We started the development of Nyx with private funding only, and we are now at a technical maturity level where ESA and Member States’ public funding can support us massively, as anchor clients, to help us finalize the vehicle,” said CEO Hélène Huby.

Does Europe Need a Massive Rocket?

Speaking of Huby and The Exploration Company, the company also announced a $450 million Series C funding round this week, as Ars reports. As part of this, the company will continue development of the Storm rocket engine, which is projected to have a thrust of about 400,000 pound-feet. This engine would power a reusable rocket intended to launch 40 metric tons in reusable mode and 60 metric tons in expendable mode.

How to stay relevant … The expendable Ariane 6 rocket, by contrast, has a maximum lift capacity of about 20 tons. “If Europe wants to stay relevant—we will not be relevant without a massive rocket at a massive cadence,” Huby said during a teleconference with reporters. “And to do that we need a massive engine, and right now this is something we just do not have in Europe.” An aggressive timeline for the rocket’s development, she said, is 2033.

Terran R Gets On-Ramped by NASA

NASA announced it has awarded a “Launch Services II” contract to Relativity Space, allowing the Terran R rocket to be on-ramped into the agency’s launch services program. The Terran R launch service will accordingly be available to NASA for future missions, including science, research, and human spaceflight.

Don’t expect Terran R to win awards right away … NASA still wants to see Terran R, which has yet to make its debut, demonstrate success in flight before competing for mission awards. However, by receiving this contract, Relativity can now follow a formal pathway for new launch service providers to compete for future NASA missions. The current ordering period covers missions through December 2032.

Next Three Launches

September 13: Falcon 9 | O3b mPOWER 11, 12, 13 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. | 18:49 UTC

September 15: Vega C | Sentinel-3C, Flex | Guiana Space Center, French Guiana | 01:21 UTC

September 15: Zhuque-2E | Unknown Payload | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China | 06:25 UTC