The REXUS/BEXUS programme allows students from universities and higher education colleges across Europe to carry out scientific and technological experiments on research rockets and balloons. Each year, two rockets and two balloons are launched, carrying up to 20 experiments designed and built by student teams. The REXUS/BEXUS programme is realised under a bilateral Agency Agreement between the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA). The Swedish share of the payload has been made available to students from other European nations through a collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). EuroLaunch, a cooperation between the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and the Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA) of DLR, is responsible for the campaign management and operations of the launch vehicles. Experts from DLR, SSC, Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) and ESA provide technical support to the student teams throughout the project. REXUS and BEXUS are launched from SSC, Esrange Space Centre in northern Sweden.

Prerequisites:

• Partnership agreements with universities and technical institutes 

• Technical capabilities to build experiment payload

• Regulatory framework for safe launches

• Test ranges or open areas for balloon/rocket launches

• Qualified faculty and technical mentors

Cost:

• Ballpark: USD 50k–500k

• Includes: student team support, lab materials, payload design and integration, testing and validation, travel and coordination with host programme, staff mentorship, dissemination of results

Timeframe:

• Overall: 12–24 mo (per project cycle)

• Phases: scoping/partnership building (2–3 mo), payload design & preparation (6–9 mo), integration & testing (3–6 mo), launch with host programme (1–2 mo), analysis & dissemination (3–6 mo)

Pros:

• STEM Development - Programs can boost student skills in aerospace, systems engineering, and hands-on prototyping.

• Innovation Pipeline - Universities can feed national space programs with ideas and trained talent.

• National Prestige - Initiatives can demonstrate technological capability and support national space ambitions.

• Cost-Effective R&D - University programs may require lower-cost prototyping compared to large mission budgets.

Considerations:

• High Coordination Load - Coordination requires multi-agency alignment and time-consuming planning with universities.

• Risk of Launch Failure - Test launches may fail, risking morale and wasted investment if not well supported.

• Sustained Funding Need - Programs may collapse without consistent funding streams.

• Regulatory Bottlenecks - Delays from airspace, military, or customs approvals can frustrate student timelines.