International partnership set to simplify access to microgravity environment for in-demand commercial research and manufacturing, as part of an in-orbit services market projected to be worth US$4.6 billion as soon as 2030.

LUXEMBOURG, 9th July 2026 - A Japanese firm pioneering the development of atmospheric technologies for returning items from space, ElevationSpace, has today announced a partnership agreement with Luxembourg-based Space Cargo Unlimited, European leader in commercial microgravity research and in-space manufacturing.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will enable jointly defined customer requirements for future services and see ElevationSpace explore the integration of Space Cargo Unlimited’s autonomous payload platform, known as BentoBox, into the company’s planned spacecraft. In parallel, Space Cargo Unlimited will study the development of a BentoBox configuration optimised for ElevationSpace’s vehicle.

This shared vision seeks to capitalise on the growing demand for commercial activity in low Earth orbit, lowering the technical and operational barriers that have traditionally limited market access ElevationSpace Inc. is Japan's first private company developing atmospheric re-entry and recovery technologies for returning materials and products manufactured or tested in space.

ElevationSpace's re-entry mission sequence

The company’s CEO, Ryohei Kobayashi stated,

“We are honored to announce this collaboration with Space Cargo Unlimited, a company that has established a leading position in Europe's in-orbit demonstration and experimentation market. By combining our precise lift-guided re-entry and return capabilities with the BentoBox platform, we believe we can significantly lower the barriers to utilising space.

Achieving our mission of 'Create a world where everyone can live in space' requires an infrastructure that enables every industry on Earth to benefit from the space environment. Together, we look forward to leading the development of that infrastructure."

According to various industry forecasts, the global in-space manufacturing market could reach US$4.6 billion by 2030 and expand to more than US$60 billion by 2040, reflecting the industry's transition from experimental missions to scalable commercial manufacturing. As the sector grows, routine and reliable return capabilities will become increasingly important for industries such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and advanced materials, where products manufactured or tested in microgravity must be recovered for analysis and commercial use.

BentoBox: Standardized plug-and-play microgravity platform

Space Cargo Unlimited’'s BentoBox solution provides a standardised payload platform for in-space testing and manufacturing, allowing customers to send experimental samples to space without requiring extensive expertise in flight-qualified hardware development. The company has established a strong position within the European space ecosystem through pioneering commercial missions, including Mission WISE, which successfully sent grapevine canes to the International Space Station (ISS) for a 12-month study, building on its team’s decades of experience in microgravity developments.

Space Cargo Unlimited co-founder & CEO, Nicolas Gaume commented,

“We are now entering the commercial microgravity era. As more industries recognise the value of in orbit services, the challenge is no longer proving what's possible, but making access reliable, repeatable and commercially viable.

By combining Space Cargo Unlimited's microgravity production platform with ElevationSpace's innovative return capabilities, we ensure that highly sensitive payloads, such as pharmaceutical and biotechnology samples, can be returned safely to Earth, creating a stronger foundation for the next generation of commercial space services."

Today's announcement marks an important step towards a commercially sustainable microgravity economy. By designing ElevationSpace's future free-flyer platform to accommodate BentoBox from the outset, the partnership adopts a customer-first approach that minimises payload redesigns and integration challenges. The result will be shorter lead times, lower costs and a more scalable commercial service, making it easier for organisations of all sizes to access the benefits of microgravity research and manufacturing.

About Space Cargo Unlimited
Space Cargo Unlimited is a European space company pioneering commercial in-space manufacturing. Founded to unlock the industrial potential of microgravity, Space Cargo Unlimited develops space systems and mission services that enable organisations to research, develop and manufacture high-value products in space.

Its flagship BentoBox platform provides a standardised, autonomous laboratory for in-space experimentation and production, supported by end-to-end mission services from payload preparation and integration through launch and in-orbit operations. By deploying its standardised platform across multiple space vehicles, Space Cargo Unlimited is creating a scalable, fleet-based model for commercial in-space manufacturing and helping accelerate the commercialisation of the low Earth orbit economy.

Today, the company employs more than 50 people across Europe and has secured over €40 million in funding from leading European institutional and private investors, including the European Investment Bank (EIB), European Innovation Council (EIC), Luxembourg Future

Fund II (SNCI and EIF), Eurazeo, and Expansion Ventures. This support is enabling the deployment of Space Cargo Unlimited's growing portfolio of microgravity platforms and mission services, including BentoBox and its future REV1 orbital vehicle.

Company Name: Space Cargo Unlimited

Headquarters: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Main Subsidiaries: Bordeaux, France; Darmstadt, Germany; Turin, Italy

Co-founder & CEO: Nicolas Gaume

About ElevationSpace

ElevationSpace is a Japanese startup with the mission of “Create a world where everyone can live in space.” The company focuses on developing transportation services from space to Earth, centered on Japan’s world-class small-scale re-entry technology. In collaboration with Tohoku University and JAXA, ElevationSpace is developing a compact spacecraft capable of transporting materials researched or manufactured in microgravity back to Earth.

The International Space Station (ISS), which has supported a wide range of uses from basic scientific experiments to industrial applications, is scheduled to retire by around 2030 due to structural limitations. As such, maintaining a continuous platform for space utilization has become a growing concern.

In response, ElevationSpace aims to provide: ELS-R: A free-flying orbital demonstration and return satellite for microgravity experiments and validations conducted in unmanned small satellites, offering Japan’s first commercial return service. ELS-RS: A high-frequency return capsule that operates from space stations, providing monthly return opportunities.

Company Name: ElevationSpace

Headquarters: Japan

Co-founder & CEO: Ryohei Kobayashi