The Exploration Company raises 40.5 million euros to finalize the development of its space capsule – Le Journal des Entreprises

The young company The Exploration Company, which designs a reusable space capsule for the transport of goods, takes off with a fundraising of 40.5 million euros completed at the end of January. A round table led by the Swedish fund EQT Ventures and the French fund Red River West, accompanied by old and new investors such as the Luxembourgish Promus Ventures, the German Cherry Ventures, July Fund, Possible Ventures and Vsquared, the French Omnes Capital, the American Partech, as well as the Habert-Dassault family and Schlumberger. The new distribution of the company’s capital has not been communicated.

A first capsule by 2026

Founded in July 2021 in Mérignac (Gironde) and Munich (Germany) by Hélène Huby and a team of aeronautical engineers who have worked on major European space programs, The Exploration Company (turnover and workforce not known) intends, with this funding, “market its first full-size space capsule by 2026, finalize the development of its second demonstration capsule by 2024, and recruit”. A rapid development for the young shoot, symbol of the regional dynamism of the “New Space” sector, this private entrepreneurial movement born of the explosion of the market for small satellites and constellations.

Durable and reusable capsule

The products and services designed by The Exploration Company have the particularity of being developed with technologies open source, allowing other players to use it to develop new applications. “We are building a durable, reusable space capsule that can be used by private and public operators to ferry cargo into space, resupply orbital stations and ultimately carry passengers,” a statement read.