Saint-Cloud – November 08, 2026 -- France has decided to support VORTEX, Dassault Aviation's reusable orbital spaceplane, President Emmanuel Macron announced at the International Space Summit in Paris. Dassault Aviation says the decision will strengthen Europe's skills and capacity to act in space.
Dassault Aviation leads design and integration of a dual-use spaceplane
Dassault Aviation designed VORTEX and acts as the aircraft's global architect and integrator. The reusable vehicle is built for both civil and military orbital missions.
OHB partnership and five named suppliers anchor the European consortium
Development will proceed in partnership with German company OHB, a tie-up the two companies announced on 11 May 2026. Several major European aerospace and space players have already joined the project: APCO Technologies, MT Aerospace, Sener, Sonaca and Space Cargo Unlimited.
Trappier calls on Germany and other countries to join
Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier said the French-backed project should lead several countries, Germany among them, to join the effort to master mobility in space.
The source gives no budget, timeline or funding amount for the French decision. Dassault Aviation reported 2025 revenue of €7.4 billion and about 15,000 employees.