The Exploration Company is working to make space travel more accessible through reusable spacecraft and launcher-agnostic space systems. Guided by the vision of making space technology reusable, affordable, and integrated, the European aerospace startup is developing the Nyx family of spacecraft and advanced rocket propulsion systems capable of transporting cargo and, eventually, astronauts to destinations in Earth orbit and beyond, tells Develop 3D.
A recent milestone, Mission Bikini, demonstrated the company’s ability to move from an initial concept to flight-ready hardware in just nine months. According to Daniel Prudente Martins, principal EWIS and electrical interfaces for Nyx Avionics, this rapid development was made possible by an advanced and scalable engineering environment built around integrated digital workflows.
To support this approach, The Exploration Company has adopted several applications from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. Designcenter is used for mechanical design, Simcenter for engineering simulation, Capital for electrical systems design, and Teamcenter for product lifecycle management and collaboration. Together, these tools create a connected engineering environment that links mechanical, electrical, and simulation workflows while managing product data throughout the entire development lifecycle.
The integrated environment allows engineers to model and optimize complex systems more efficiently. Changes made in one engineering discipline are automatically reflected across the others, improving data consistency, strengthening traceability, and reducing the risk of design errors and costly rework. This connected workflow also supports faster decision-making and smoother collaboration between engineering teams.
A major advantage of the company’s digital strategy is the creation of a comprehensive digital twin. By validating spacecraft designs earlier in the development process, the digital twin improves mission assurance while helping the company meet the rigorous certification requirements associated with aerospace programs. At the same time, the integrated toolchain streamlines manufacturing as operations expand.
By combining digital twins with connected engineering tools, The Exploration Company is accelerating spacecraft development while laying the foundation for scalable, reusable space systems that could support the next generation of commercial space missions.
