Thales Alenia Space signs contract with ESA to develop the Argonaut Lunar Lander for cargo delivery

The lander will fly to the Moon and land on its surface assuring the European autonomous access to the Moon

• Thales Alenia Space plays a pioneering role to enable the European autonomous access to the Moon
• The Argonaut lunar lander is designed to offer versatility in the frame of the Artemis program to deliver cargo, rovers and more, or as stand-alone scientific missions.
• Thales Alenia Space’s consolidated legacy, advanced technology and long-standing expertise in space exploration puts the company at the cutting-edge of space and human exploration.

Cannes, January 30^th, 2025 – Thales Alenia Space, joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), worth € 862 Million, related to the design, the development and the delivery of the Lunar Descent Element (LDE) for ESA’s Argonaut Mission, including responsibility for mission design and integration.

Planned to be launched from the 2030s, Argonaut will deliver cargo, infrastructure and scientific instruments to the Moon’s surface.

The first mission is envisioned to deal with delivery of dedicated navigation and telecommunication payloads as well as energy generation and storage system, as European enterprises to explore the Lunar southern area.