In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Hélène Huby, the co-founder and CEO of The Exploration Company. Founded in 2021, the company is on a mission to democratise access to space by developing Nyx, a reusable and in-orbit refillable cargo spacecraft designed to fly to any space station.

Hélène shares her remarkable journey from serving as a top executive at Airbus and ArianeGroup—where she led the Orion European Service Module programme—to declining a promotion to start her own venture from scratch with just four people and €50,000. Now, with over €300 million raised and a team of 450, the company is positioned as the European answer to SpaceX and is the first European firm to sign a Space Act agreement with NASA. The conversation explores the strategic development of a global company with European roots, the vital importance of international collaboration, and the unique challenges of scaling a hardware powerhouse in the space industry.

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What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The Alternative to SpaceX: Why the global space industry requires competition and diversity beyond a single dominant player to ensure sovereignty and choice.
• Strategic Regional Excellence: How Hélène’s team leverages specific engineering strengths across Germany (avionics/software), France (re-entry/engines), and Italy (life support/mechanisms).
• From Corporate to Startup: The risks and mental shift involved in leaving an executive role at a global giant to "write space history" independently.
• The Power of Collaboration: Insights into the landmark NASA Space Act agreement and the vision for a universal vehicle that serves humanity globally.
• Hiring for Innovation: How to integrate the expertise of veterans from SpaceX and Airbus with the agile mindset of new talent to avoid recreating old corporate structures.

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About the Guest: Hélène Huby

Hélène Huby is the co-founder and CEO of The Exploration Company. A former executive at Airbus and ArianeGroup, she led the Orion European Service Module programme and has been involved in some of the most complex European space programmes, including Ariane and ATV. Under her leadership, The Exploration Company has become one of the fastest-growing space firms in Europe, focused on developing reusable spacecraft that provide universal access to space.

Follow Hélène on LinkedIn here and find out more about The Exploration Company here.