# Europe’s $450M push to break SpaceX’s launch monopoly

> The Exploration Company lands historic Series C funding to build reusable European rockets and cargo spacecraft.
- Title: Europe’s $450M push to break SpaceX’s launch monopoly
- Summary: The Exploration Company lands historic Series C funding to build reusable European rockets and cargo spacecraft. Global launch demand and European…
- Keywords: space, spacex, venture capital, europe, aerospace, technology, startups, 450M, push, break, launch, monopoly
- Source: TechCrunch — https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/the-exploration-company-nabs-450-million-to-challenge-spacex
- Author: Anna Heim
- Published: 2026-09-08T20:47:34+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: space, spacex, venture capital, europe, aerospace, technology, startups
## Space launch demand outpaces supply
SpaceX currently dominates orbital launches, but its Falcon rockets are increasingly occupied with Starlink, creating a major bottleneck for third-party payloads.
## Europe secures record space funding
The Exploration Company raised $450 million in the largest Series C funding round ever recorded for a European space startup.

> ...the largest-ever Series C by a European space company.
## Championing European space sovereignty
Former Airbus executive Hélène Huby leads the startup to build reusable heavy-lift launchers, providing Europe with an independent alternative to foreign launch providers.
## Transatlantic VC backing and contracts
Atomico, Bessemer, and EQT co-led the round, supporting a company that already boasts over $2 billion in commitments from NASA and the European Space Agency.

> 10 Nyx missions are booked, with more than $2 billion in contracts and commitments.
## The Nyx capsule targets 2028
TEC's immediate focus is Nyx, a reusable cargo and crew capsule aiming to dock with the International Space Station and return safely by November 2028.
## Engineering next-gen rocket engines
Capital will also fund Storm, an ambitious project to develop Europe’s first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine for maximum efficiency.

> It is the first time ever in Europe that a company develops such a rocket engine.
## Future-proofing orbital infrastructure
Massive payload capacities and rapid launch cadences are becoming critical as broadband communications and data centers transition into space.

> In the next five to 10 years, half of our broadband communication could come from space...
## The global race for reusable rockets
Backed by praise from European leaders like Emmanuel Macron, TEC joins rivals such as US-based Stoke Space in seeking to end SpaceX's near-monopoly.
## Key takeaway

Global launch demand and European sovereignty concerns are fueling massive venture funding into reusable rocket startups built to rival SpaceX.