Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Space
  • /
  • Thales Alenia Space signs contract with ESA to develop Argonaut lander

Space

Thales Alenia Space signs contract with ESA to develop Argonaut lander

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), worth €862 Million, related to the design, the development and the delivery of the Lunar Descent Element (LDE) for ESA’s Argonaut Mission, including responsibility for mission design and integration.

Image  / copyright Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space, joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), worth €862 Million, related to the design, the development and the delivery of the Lunar Descent Element (LDE) for ESA’s Argonaut Mission, including responsibility for mission design and integration.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

Planned to be launched from the 2030s, Argonaut will deliver cargo, infrastructure and scientific instruments to the Moon’s surface, assuring the European autonomous access to the Moon.

The first mission is envisioned to deal with delivery of dedicated navigation and telecommunication payloads as well as energy generation and storage system, as European enterprises to explore the Lunar southern area.

Argonaut
The Argonaut spacecraft consists of three main elements: the lunar descent element (LDE) for flying to the Moon and landing on the target, the cargo platform one, which is the interface between the lander and its payload, and finally, the element that the mission designers want to send to the Moon.

Adaptability is a key element of Argonaut's design, which is why the cargo platform is designed to accept any mission profile: cargo for astronauts near the landing site, a rover, technology demonstration packages, production facilities using lunar resources, a lunar telescope or even a power station. The project will strengthen Thales Alenia Space’s skills in several technological areas essential to space exploration beyond the Moon.

The future space ecosystem requires new solutions dedicated to the transport and return of cargo from low Earth orbit and lunar orbit, as well as crew transport to low Earth orbit. Thales Alenia Space is ready to put in place what is needed to prepare for humanity’s future life and presence in Space, laying the foundations for the post-ISS era and meeting new economic needs for research and science.

Argonaut consortium: who does what?
Thales Alenia Space is the prime contractor for the development of the Lunar Descent Element. The overall mission responsibility, ie the use of the LDE and integration with payload, will be the subject of a separate procurement in the future. The Lunar Descent Element is an independent architecture block of the international lunar exploration activities, namely a versatile system to support a variety of missions.

As prime contractor and system integrator of the Lunar Descent Element, Thales Alenia Space in Italy will lead the industrial consortium that will be responsible for the system, the entry descent and landing aspects, as well as the general and specific architectures of the thermomechanical, avionics and software chains.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

Thales Alenia Space in France and in the UK will respectively focus on data handling systems and propulsion. OHB System AG as additional core team member of the Thales Alenia Space consortium will be responsible for guidance, navigation and control (GNC), electrical power systems (EPS) and telecommunications (TT&C) aspects.

Hervé Derrey, Thales Alenia Space CEO, said: “Argonaut lunar lander means a lot to our company. Thanks to this astonishing space vehicle, tons of cargo will be delivered to the Moon’s surface, including rovers, scientific missions and many more. This new element of the Artemis programme will serve at facilitating longduration manned lunar exploration missions and will be crucial to increase European autonomy in lunar exploration.

"The Moon will also serve as a stepping stone for crewed missions into deep space, with Mars being the next stage of the journey. I wanted to express my gratitude to ESA for awarding this new contract to our company. Today’s major achievement strengthens more than ever Thales Alenia Space’s leading positions in the fields of space transportation systems, orbital infrastructures and space exploration.”

Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Senior Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space, said: “We are truly honoured that ESA has renewed its trust in our company by awarding Thales Alenia Space this major contract to develop the European lunar lander that will enable Europe to access autonomously to the Moon’s surface.

“Today, with its longstanding expertise in space exploration infrastructure and vehicles, our company, in line with ESA’s and ASI’s visions, has decided to enhance its competitiveness by investing in the development of technological solutions to help Europe achieve its goals.

"Supplying a significant proportion of the International Space Station’s pressurised volume, playing a major role on board Artemis, manufacturing the backbone of Orion’s European service module and leading flagship transportation programmes such as IXV or Space Rider, Thales Alenia Space is more than ever at the forefront of exploration and space transportation systems.”

Advertisement
Cranfield University
Teledyne launches industrial image sensors tested for space

Defence Space

Teledyne launches industrial image sensors tested for space

23 May 2025

Teledyne Technologies has announced the release of three variants of industrial CMOS sensors, with resolutions ranging from 1.3MP up to 67MP, following a delta space qualification methodology and radiation testing.

Babcock’s Festival of Engineering in Fife inspires new talent

Aerospace Defence Space Events

Babcock’s Festival of Engineering in Fife inspires new talent

21 May 2025

A journey through space was just one of a number of fantastic opportunities available at Babcock's Rosyth facility this week as the defence company rocketed 300 school pupils’ ambitions at the company’s annual Festival of Engineering.

Skynet satellite reaches major milestone

Defence Space

Skynet satellite reaches major milestone

20 May 2025

The UK’s next-generation military communications satellite - Skynet 6A - has successfully completed the coupling of its communications and service modules.

Laser ultrasound reveals elasticity of space rock

Space

Laser ultrasound reveals elasticity of space rock

19 May 2025

Scientists and engineers at the University of Nottingham have used laser ultrasound to measure and reveal the elasticity of space rock for the first time.

Advertisement
ODU RT
University of Glasgow lab could help space industry dodge a bullet

Space

University of Glasgow lab could help space industry dodge a bullet

16 May 2025

A small piece of outer space recreated in a basement in Glasgow could help ensure that a key enabling technology for future space missions won’t lead to deadly ‘rifle bullets’ of space junk circling the Earth.

Ramon.Space awarded Eutelsat OneWeb communication channelizers contract

Space

Ramon.Space awarded Eutelsat OneWeb communication channelizers contract

15 May 2025

Ramon.Space has been awarded a contract by Eutelsat to provide onboard digital communication channelizers for the expansion of its OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025