Orbital Paradigm Prepares First Reentry Mission

Orbital Paradigm Prepares for First Reentry Mission

Madrid-based Orbital Paradigm is preparing to fly its first reentry mission before the end of the year, marking a milestone in Europe’s push to make orbital reentry more reliable and affordable.

Founded in 2023 by CEO/CTO Francesco Cacciatore and COO Víctor Gómez García, veterans of D-Orbit, Sener, and Deimos, the company is building a reusable orbital-class vehicle capable of surviving up to three months in orbit and returning payloads to Europe on a monthly cadence.

The first test flight will use the Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID), a 25 kg, 40 cm prototype designed to separate from the launch vehicle, transmit data, and attempt to survive reentry without propulsion, parachutes, or recovery. The vehicle will also trial a ceramic tile design for future iterations.

A second demo in 2026 will add propulsion and parachutes, with recovery planned in the Azores. These two flights pave the way for the flagship Kestrel vehicle, a 360 kg craft designed to carry up to 120 kg of payload and return safely. The full-scale Kestrel could launch as early as 2027.

Orbital Paradigm’s first mission is already fully booked with payloads from ALATYR (France), Leibniz Universität Hannover (Germany), and a third undisclosed customer. The company has also signed an agreement with Centre National d'Études Spatiales to fly future payloads.

Remarkably, the first mission will cost less than €1M, including engineering, hardware, salaries, and launch. By adapting commercial off-the-shelf parts and keeping engineering in-house, Orbital Paradigm aims to achieve sustainable economics quickly.

Orbital Paradigm is focusing exclusively on cargo return for applications including in-space manufacturing, microgravity research, hypersonic testing, and future point-to-point delivery.

Image Credits: Orbital Paradigm