Despite limited data from the reentry phase, German startup Atmos Space Cargo considers its first Phoenix vehicle flight a success. Launched on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-3 mission April 21, the vehicle separated from the upper stage after approximately 90 minutes and initiated reentry about 30 minutes later, splashing down in the South Atlantic Ocean, roughly 2,000 kilometers from the Brazilian coast.
According to CEO Sebastian Klaus, the mission had three primary goals: data collection from the spacecraft, data acquisition and return from onboard payloads, and data collection on the inflatable heat shield’s reentry performance. “What is confirmed is that we got a lot of flight data,” Klaus stated in an April 22 briefing. All four payloads, including those from commercial clients and the German Aerospace Agency DLR, functioned correctly and transmitted data. “We can call that a full success.”
However, the reentry data is less complete. Originally planned for the Indian Ocean, the splashdown location shifted due to SpaceX's trajectory adjustments five weeks prior to launch, attributed to “operational constraints” of the primary payload—a South Korean reconnaissance satellite. This resulted in a steeper than expected reentry, imposing higher loads on the spacecraft, and precluded recovery efforts. While new ground stations in South America were utilized, and a data-collecting aircraft was chartered, cloud cover and distance hindered imagery acquisition of the reentry.
Klaus described the heat shield objective as “partly successful,” pending further data analysis. While preliminary data indicates the heat shield inflated as planned, analysis remains ongoing. He noted that obtaining data from Phoenix during the final flight stages was “very difficult” due to its distance from ground stations. The collected data will be valuable for the second Phoenix vehicle, scheduled for launch next year. “It would be much better to have more data on the critical last phase of the flight,” Klaus admitted, adding, “But then on the other side, there’s a lot we have learned about all other systems and operational aspects.” He concluded, “All in all, I would say, it’s a very successful mission.”