First reuseable US launcher to continental Europe

In a groundbreaking development for the European space industry, Andøya Space and Astrobotic Technology, Inc. have signed a landmark Term Sheet for a Launch Site Agreement.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing commercial space capabilities in Europe, with Astrobotic utilizing Andøya Space as one of its launch and landing sites for its Xodiac reusable rocket campaigns starting in 2026.

The Term Sheet, signed in August 2025, outlines the main terms of the Launch Site Agreement that the parties intend to enter. Andøya Space has developed a state-of-the-art launch site at Andøya, Norway, and Astrobotic is committed to becoming a key partner, using Andøya Space for several of its Xodiac campaigns from continental Europe. Astrobotic plans to perform their initial launch campaign operations from Andøya Space starting in 2026. 

This partnership is crucial for maintaining and enhancing the strategic space infrastructure in Europe. The collaboration aims to provide strategic autonomy, increased responsiveness, and faster deployment of new capabilities, benefiting both commercial and government stakeholders.

Troels Sandreid, President of Andøya Spaceport, said: “Partnering with Astrobotic brings launch reusability to Andøya for the first time, through reusable rocket operations, further establishing our spaceport as a key European site for innovative commercial space operations.”

“Xodiac’s presence at Andøya represents a meaningful step toward delivering reliable, rapid, and cost-effective testing and demonstration capabilities to the European space market,” said John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic. “By making a flight-proven, reusable rocket available to commercial and government partners, we’re enabling customers to accelerate the development of space systems in a dedicated environment built for innovation. We’re deploying the next generation of space systems that will take humanity further than ever before”

Security and compliance are paramount in this partnership. A comprehensive security concept will be established to meet regulatory requirements, and both parties will ensure compliance with applicable laws, the Technology Safeguard Agreement, and Andøya Space governing documents. This commitment to security and compliance underscores the importance of maintaining the highest standards in space operations.