Portugal’s National Space Authority, ANACOM, has granted the first commercial space re-entry license in Europe to ATMOS Space Cargo for operations off the Azores island of Santa Maria. Issued as license ANACOM-09/2026-AE on February 24, 2026, under national space law, it authorizes the re-entry phase of Mission PHOENIX 2.1, with a launch window in the second half of 2026.
The license covers atmospheric re-entry, splashdown, and maritime recovery of the PHOENIX 2.1 reusable orbital transfer and return vehicle (OTRV) in a designated North Atlantic area under Portuguese jurisdiction. This marks the first controlled return and recovery of a commercial spacecraft to European territory via a national regulatory framework, distinct from launcher stage disposals.
ATMOS Space Cargo, based in Germany and France, develops small reusable capsules for orbital cargo and experiments. PHOENIX 2.1 employs an Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator (IAD)—a balloon-like structure that deploys as a heat shield and aerodynamic brake during descent. The mission will use the Azores Spaceport, licensed for launches in August 2025, as both launch and recovery site. Santa Maria’s remote location minimizes interference with air and sea traffic while staying under European oversight.
Final launch date, flight profile, and recovery coordinates await operational and regulatory alignment, including maritime and aviation notices. The Portuguese Space Agency states this reinforces Portugal’s role in Europe’s two-way space economy.