Return from space just got a lot easier: C-STS journey explained

Along with partners, we’re developing a world-first service incorporating both launch and return of a new small class of vehicle; a returnable satellite - the ForgeStar - that can be deployed from conventional launchers to provide rapid, reliable and reusable in-space infrastructure. This dedicated, on-demand returnable service will unlock the potential of ‘Microgravity on Demand’ - expanding the microgravity research and in-space production markets to new horizons. We’ve now been awarded a two-year contract, through the European Space Agency’s Boost! Commercial Space Transportation Services Programme, worth €2m - covering the preliminary and detailed design phases, as well as the launch, in-orbit operation and return of the first operational ForgeStar demonstration vehicle.