ATMOS Partners With ARX Robotics To Launch Europe’s First Orbital Depot For Autonomous Defence Systems

In April 2025, ATMOS launched PHOENIX 1, its first space re-entry capsule. A new version, PHOENIX 2, is planned for 2026, aiming to build a fully autonomous and scalable return logistics system from space.

This partnership boosts Europe's ability to respond in emergencies, especially in places where normal sea, land, or air routes are unavailable. Orbital logistics can deliver fast support and supplies even in remote or hard-to-reach areas.

By teaming up, ATMOS’s PHOENIX capsule and ARX’s unmanned systems will allow new kinds of missions. ARX's Mithra OS software will control these systems on the ground and connect them with air and sea-based unmanned vehicles.

PHOENIX will act like a space warehouse that can quickly deliver ARX’s autonomous systems to any point on Earth in minutes. ARX's flexible, modular robots can now support missions that start from space.

ATMOS has also opened a new office in Strasbourg, France, to grow its European partner network and prepare for future missions. Through this alliance, ATMOS also joins ARX’s UXS Alliance, a network focused on defence tech innovation.

Sebastian Klaus, CEO of ATMOS Space Cargo, emphasises: "By integrating orbital capabilities with advanced robotics, we are equipping Europe with unprecedented rapid-response infrastructure. This is a new standard for safety, innovation, and cooperation."

ARX Robotics recently raised €31 million in Series A funding and has formed partnerships with major European defense companies, including Daimler Truck. The company is also expanding into the UK, where it is already working with the British Army and the UK Ministry of Defence, with plans to open a new headquarters and production facility.

Marc Wietfeld, CEO of ARX Robotics, said that the partnership with ATMOS makes it possible for ARX to store and launch autonomous systems from space, allowing fast and flexible deployment anywhere in the world, anytime.

“This significantly expands European military-strategic capabilities and operational possibilities for NATO forces. This partnership is a clear statement for the multidimensional future of European resilience.

It contributes directly to NATO readiness by enabling allied forces to act faster, further, and with greater autonomy than ever before.”

The partnership is also backed by a strategic investment from J14 European Resilience, a DefenceTech investor group started by ARX shareholders Marc Wietfeld and Daniel Kirch.

About ATOM Space Cargo

ATMOS Space Cargo is a space company from Germany that works on bringing cargo back to Earth from low Earth orbit. They design and build space capsules, including one called PHOENIX, which uses a special inflatable heat shield to safely return through the atmosphere.