Space Cargo Unlimited has acquired Novespace, the French company that owns and operates the Airbus A310 ZERO-G, the world’s largest parabolic flight aircraft. The transaction was completed for an undisclosed amount, with Novespace becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Space Cargo Unlimited. Novespace, previously a subsidiary of the French Space Agency (CNES), will retain its operational base and workforce under the new ownership.
Novespace is best known for operating the A310 ZERO-G, which provides weightless flight conditions for scientific research experiments and for public participants through its AirZeroG discovery flights. Space Cargo Unlimited, a company focused on developing space-based manufacturing and in-orbit services, has been working on technologies that require microgravity environments for research and production. The acquisition gives Space Cargo Unlimited direct, recurring access to parabolic flights, which are a critical testing ground for equipment and processes intended for orbital use.
The strategic rationale for the deal centers on vertical integration. By owning the aircraft and its flight operations, Space Cargo Unlimited can schedule test campaigns more flexibly and at lower cost than by renting flight time from a third party. For Novespace, joining a private space company rather than remaining under a national agency structure may open new commercial opportunities beyond its current scientific and public flight programs. The existing AirZeroG public offering is expected to continue unchanged.
The combined entity will now control a unique asset in the European microgravity ecosystem, bridging short-duration parabolic testing with longer-duration orbital missions. While no specific financial projections were disclosed, the acquisition positions Space Cargo Unlimited to streamline its research pipeline and potentially expand Novespace’s flight calendar. The deal also consolidates a rare piece of aviation infrastructure under private ownership, a move that could influence how other space firms access reduced-gravity testing in Europe.