Submit your proposal to the European Launcher Challenge

What is the European Launcher Challenge?

The European Launcher Challenge is part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) preparation of future European space transportation services, promoting a greater choice of European launch services and increased competitiveness. The European Launcher Challenge is a two-stage competitive tender to select a number of European launch services. Successful Challengers will be awarded contracts for two distinct components:

• Component A: launch services for ESA and other European institutional customers to be performed in the period 2026-2030.
• Component B: launch service capacity upgrade demonstration, including at least one flight demonstration of the upgraded launch service capacity planned to be performed by 2028.

Challengers must submit a complete proposal covering both Components according to the requirements. Proposals must be submitted here no later than 5 May 2025 at 13:00 CEST.

Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated in two stages. For the first stage, Challengers are invited to submit proposals via esa-star tendering and ESA will then evaluate and recommend Proposals for decision at the ESA Council at ministerial level (CM25) in November 2025. The second stage of the tendering will take place after CM25. 

ESA has allotted a maximum of €169 000 000 per Challenger, covering all activities under Components A and B.