The U.S. and China still lead the space race, but startups in Germany and India are rising fast with reusable rockets and cargo tech to challenge the global giants.

The United States and China continue to lead in space exploration, but private companies in Europe and India are making notable progress. In Germany, the Atmos team has developed the Phoenix capsule, designed to transport cargo to and from low-Earth orbit, while Indian startups like Abayom and Aeon Space Labs are working on reusable rockets and satellite technologies with support from government initiatives.

Despite the US and China maintaining a significant lead in launch numbers and investment, increased venture capital and government backing in India and Europe are fostering innovation. Experts suggest that with the growing number of startups and new technologies, more frequent space launches from these regions are expected in the coming years.

Who will win the space race?

Who will win the space race? The US and China are still far ahead, but Europe and the rest of Asia are catching up. With Phoenix, for example, the first space capsule from a private sector European company to reach space, or brand new rockets developed by a start-up in Hyderabad, India. The race for space is already well underway. The final tests before launch. The team at Atmos in Germany is fully focused, even though today is just a simulation. Founder Sebastian Claus and his team have spent years designing a space capsule that can carry cargo into orbit and bring it back. We're not the ones manufacturing things or conducting research, but we make all of that possible. Think of space, in this case low-Earth orbit, as an industrial park. We're the transport company that moves goods in and out, the logistics specialists for space. Re-entry into Earth's atmosphere is one of the toughest challenges, which is why it's practiced again and again here at the company's headquarters. During the seventh test, everything went according to plan. I'm really proud of the team, but repetition is essential. In a real mission, things often go differently than expected. There might be a technical malfunction, or a plane or ship might suddenly enter the landing zone. You have to be ready to respond in real time. Meanwhile in Hyderabad in southern India, a team is building what they hope will be the rocket of the future in this modest workshop. 24-year-old space engineer Jainul Abedin founded Abayom. He's been dreaming of building rockets since he was a boy. India entered the rocket business in 1963, but even then the rockets weren't reusable. That made me wonder, why isn't space accessible to everyone? That's when my vision began, to develop rockets that can fly into space multiple times. Together with his team, he now wants to revolutionize Indian spaceflight. As a student, Abedin received scholarships from the Indian Space Research Organization. With startup capital from the government, his own personal savings, and support from private investors, he eventually launched his company. His invention has already won several awards. Our next step is to develop our own fully functional, flight-ready rocket engine. That's our next big focus. We want to have commercial rockets that are fully operational and ready for launch by 2030. Back in Germany, this is what the Phoenix capsule looks like. Next door to the construction hall, engineers are calibrating the antenna for the first mission. Founder Sebastian Claus spent years looking for investors, and had to fund the initial tests with his own capital. Last year, for example, the U.S. had around 150 rocket launches, followed closely by China, and we Europeans had just three. That's a major imbalance, and the same goes for funding. There's about five times more venture capital available in the U.S. than in Europe. Back in India, where the who's who in Indian aerospace has gathered, at the Drone Expo in Hyderabad. Many young engineers here are dreaming of starting their own space tech companies. And now, the government offers support through initiatives like Make in India. That's how the young startup Aeon Space Labs got off the ground. We got where we are today thanks to support from Make in India. I'm proud that this year, we'll reach space at an altitude of about 500 kilometers. This will be the first product from a startup to represent Make in India in space. The U.S. and China are still way ahead in the race for new space technologies. One key reason? Their willingness to invest in high-risk innovations. India is now in a very strong position to enter the space technology sector. There are about 50 to 60 space startups here, each focusing on different areas, such as rocket design, propulsion systems development, and satellite and payload manufacturers. When all of them come together, they will each contribute their own expertise. I believe we'll start seeing many more space launches from India within just two to three years. Back in Germany, final tests and preparations are underway. The Phoenix capsule will soon head for the airport, where it will be flown to the U.S. If all goes according to plan, we'll soon be seeing images of Germany's Phoenix capsule in orbit more often.

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