European space logistics startup The Exploration Company said it has completed the first test campaign of the micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding for its Nyx spacecraft, a modular vehicle scheduled to make its debut in 2028.
The tests were performed under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) LEO Cargo Return Services initiative, which is funding early-phase vehicle design work by The Exploration Company and Thales Alenia Space. Both firms are maturing their spacecraft concepts through technology-readiness milestones and risk-reduction activities.
According to the company, the shielding trials were conducted at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics (EMI) in Germany, where light-gas guns at facilities in Freiburg and Efringen-Kirchen simulate hypervelocity impacts. The Nyx shield was subjected to impact speeds of up to 9 km/s, representative of debris threats encountered in low Earth orbit.
The Exploration Company also recently completed an extensive wind-tunnel campaign at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne. The tests assessed the Nyx Earth-return capsule’s aerodynamic behavior across the full flight envelope, from subsonic through hypersonic regimes, and will support refinement of the spacecraft’s numerical models.
Nyx is being developed as a multi-mission platform capable of transporting cargo to and from the International Space Station, with later variants planned for lunar orbit operations, lunar surface missions, and eventually crew transportation.
Completion of the shielding and aerodynamic test campaigns marks a critical step as the company prepares for Phase 2 of ESA’s LEO Cargo Return Services program, which is expected to be reviewed at the agency’s upcoming Ministerial Council meeting.
