Nammo UK has secured a major contract to supply the main engine for the European Space Agency’s Argonaut Lunar Lander. The agreement places the company at the heart of a mission that will support NASA’s efforts to re establish a human presence on the moon. The Nammo UK lunar engine contract represents a significant milestone for both the business and the wider European space sector.
Headquartered at Westcott Venture Park in Buckinghamshire, Nammo UK designs, tests and manufactures propulsion systems for spacecraft and launch vehicles. Its work includes the RELIANCE engine, a high performance bi propellant system with a thrust capability of 6kN. This technology will power the Argonaut lander on a mission under the NASA Artemis programme planned for 2031. In securing the contract, Nammo becomes part of Europe’s first involvement in a lunar landing mission.
The announcement was made at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. Robert Selby, vice president of Nammo Space, confirmed the news alongside senior representatives from ESA, Thales and OHB SE. Selby said: “This marks a major step forward for the RELIANCE development, Nammo’s ambitions and European capabilities. We are honoured to be selected, and this is a testament to the remarkable team we have. We’re proud to contribute cutting-edge propulsion technology to the Argonaut mission and play a pivotal role in landing Europe on the Moon for the first time.”
Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, described the agreement as a major development for the UK space sector. He said: “Nammo UK’s selection as the engine provider for Europe’s new lunar lander is a significant achievement for the company and our growing space sector. The RELIANCE engine is under development at the Westcott Space Cluster, continuing the proud heritage of that site for British rocket propulsion technologies and creating highly skilled jobs. The innovative system could also support a wide range of further missions, as we continue to work with our national and international partners to deliver the benefits of space to Earth.”
NASA’s Artemis programme aims to return humans to the moon for the first time since the Apollo mission in 1972. Once this milestone is reached, ESA’s Argonaut will play a central role in transporting essential cargo such as food, water, scientific instruments and infrastructure for communications and power generation.
Nammo has an established record in space propulsion. It previously supplied engines for the Blue Ghost lander, which touched down on the moon in March 2025, and for NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter. Nammo UK forms part of the international Nammo group, with space operations based across sites in the UK, Norway and Ireland.
The Nammo UK lunar engine contract highlights the company’s expanding position in the sector and reinforces European involvement in future lunar exploration.
