Following several weather-related delays by SpaceX, Hydromars successfully participated in a space mission on Monday, 23 June 2025, at 2:25 p.m. PT, aboard Falcon 9’s Transporter-14 rideshare launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket carried 70 payloads from 25 companies worldwide, including the Nyx capsule developed by The Exploration Company, which hosted Hydromars’ payload, Hydro4M2. The Hydromars team was present at the launch site to witness this significant milestone firsthand.
The Nyx capsule operated nominally throughout the orbital phase, successfully powering the payloads, maintaining stability after separation from Falcon 9, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, and briefly re-establishing communication following the blackout period. However, a parachute failure occurred just minutes before the planned landing, causing the capsule to crash into the Pacific Ocean on 24 June. As a result, all 26 onboard payloads were lost, including Hydro4M2. Communication was lost shortly before splashdown, and the Nyx capsule has not been recovered. An investigation into the root cause of the failure is ongoing.
The capture of Nyx in mission
Although no mission data could be retrieved for Hydromars, the launch marked a significant milestone. Developed within a tight timeline of under 15 months, Hydro4M2 provided valuable insights into the stringent technical and operational demands of space deployment. The mission also initiated promising discussions with leading players in the commercial space sector.
Currently, Hydromars is aiming to develop a subscale version of its full-scale system and plans to conduct orbital demonstration flights during 2026-2027.
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