CORE BUSINESS
Space Cargo Unlimited (SCU) is building Europe’s first fully autonomous orbital infrastructure dedicated to commercial microgravity research and in-space manufacturing.
At the heart of this vision is REV1, a reusable, pressurized orbital factory designed to support industrial-scale production in low Earth orbit. REV1 will serve as a backbone for scalable, autonomous missions in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, advanced materials, agriculture, and more.
To bridge today’s needs with tomorrow’s infrastructure, Space Cargo Unlimited has developed BentoBox: a modular, multi-user microgravity platform engineered as a “factory in a box.” This self-contained unit integrates high-performance power, thermal, environmental, and autonomous operations subsystems, enabling a wide range of research and manufacturing applications.
BentoBox will fly as a standalone system aboard reentry-capable missions beginning in late 2025, supporting real commercial customers and laying the groundwork for future operations inside REV1.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
SCU offers end-to-end microgravity mission services through its BentoBox platform, enabling simplified and scalable access to in-orbit R&D.
Capabilities include:
- Standardized autonomous hosting for biotech, materials, and industrial research
- Payload design, testing, and qualification
- Mission planning, integration, and launch coordination
- In-orbit operations, telemetry, and environmental control
- Recovery of materials and comprehensive post-mission analytics
BentoBox supports both single-customer and multi-user missions, with durations ranging from 2 to 12 weeks in LEO. Each capsule operates without the need for crew intervention, reducing cost and complexity.
TECHNICAL MEANS
Space Cargo Unlimited is developing the core technologies required to enable industrial-scale, autonomous microgravity operations. Our engineering approach focuses on delivering the reliability, control, and flexibility that commercial users demand, across biotech, materials, and advanced manufacturing in-orbit.
Key Systems include:
- BentoBox: A modular, recoverable microgravity platform designed for multi-user operation. BentoBox integrates onboard autonomy, environmental control, power, and thermal regulation, allowing diverse payloads to operate simultaneously and independently in orbit.
- SpaceOS: A proprietary onboard control architecture. SpaceOS manages experiment execution, power allocation, telemetry, and real-time adjustments across complex, multi-payload missions, enabling autonomous operations without crewed intervention.
- High-Density Power & Thermal Control: Engineered for next-generation payloads with demanding energy and stability requirements, our electrical and thermal systems ensure optimal conditions for sensitive biological, chemical, and materials processes.
MAIN CUSTOMERS
Space Cargo Unlimited supports a diverse and expanding global customer base, including:
- Pharmaceutical and biotech companies conducting drug development, biologics manufacturing, and disease modeling
- Advanced materials and electronics developers testing semiconductors, alloys, and composites
- Agricultural and life sciences researchers studying plant resilience, genetic expression, and biological adaptation
- Academic and institutional science teams executing autonomous orbital experiments
- Government and space agencies, including ESA, CNES and DLR
- Space technology firms using BentoBox for in-orbit demonstration (IOD) and in-orbit validation (IOV) missions, including the return and recovery of critical flight hardware
MAJOR SPACE PROJECTS
BentoBox Missions (2025–2028)
Seven confirmed commercial missions deploying BentoBox aboard reentry-capable flights. These missions will support high-fidelity microgravity experimentation across biopharma, materials science, and agriculture, while validating core technologies for REV1.
REV1 (2028–)
Europe’s first dedicated orbital factory. REV1 combines a pressurized payload module with a reusable service segment, modeled after commercial aviation operations. Developed in partnership with Thales Alenia Space, Space Cargo Unlimited leads commercial operations, customer integration, and end-to-end delivery. REV1 is reusable and compatible with multiple launch providers, ensuring scalable and reliable access to microgravity for a broad range of industries.
WISE Program (2019–)
WISE (Wine in Space Experiment) investigates how spaceflight can unlock novel traits such as improved disease resistance or environmental resilience without genetic modification. By sending grapevine material and wine to the International Space Station, the mission pioneered a new approach to agricultural innovation, aiming to develop sustainable, non-GMO crop varieties suited for the challenges of climate change and future off-Earth cultivation.
