WASHINGTON — MaiaSpace, a small launch vehicle developer spun out of ArianeGroup, has signed its first commercial launch contract for missions launching as soon as 2027.
MaiaSpace said March 20 it signed a contract with Exotrail, a company that builds orbital transfer vehicles, for “multiple” launches of Exotrail’s spacevan vehicles. The companies did not disclose terms of the contract, including the number of launches or their value.
The spacevan vehicles will launch on MaiaSpace’s small launch vehicle currently under development. The vehicle, slated to begin launches as soon as late 2026 from the former Soyuz launch pad in French Guiana, will be able to place up to 1,500 kilograms in orbit when its first stage is expended and 500 kilograms when the booster lands on a barge for reuse. That payload performance can be increased with the use of a kick stage the company is also developing.
“We are extremely grateful towards a leader like Exotrail in end-to-end space mobility for this mark of confidence,” Yohann Leroy, chief executive of MaiaSpace, said in a statement. “This agreement provides added flexibility for Exotrail’s access to reliable launch opportunities tailored to its customers’ needs and reinforces MaiaSpace’s ambition to become a leading player in European space transportation.”
Exotrail launched its first spacevan vehicle in November 2023 on a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission, deploying a cubesat from it several months later. The company says it has three more exotrail missions planned by 2027, including one to GEO launching as a rideshare on an Ariane 6 flight in the second half of 2026. Exotrail also signed a contract with Isar Aerospace in 2022 for multiple launches on Isar’s Spectrum small launch vehicle.
“At Exotrail the spacevan manifest is building up, and we are thrilled to team up with a trusted partner such as MaiaSpace for our access to space,” Jean-Luc Maria, chief executive of Exotrail, said in a statement.
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