Tag: Space Rider
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ESA Delays Space Rider Drop Test After Anomaly During Helicopter Ascent
The European Space Agency (ESA) has postponed a key drop test of its Space Rider reusable spaceplane after an anomaly occurred during a helicopter-assisted ascent phase in May, delaying the final stage of the vehicle’s landing qualification campaign. ESA confirmed that the incident took place during a two-week test campaign that concluded on May 8,…
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ESA Calls on SMEs to Design Fully Reusable Spaceplane Launch System
European Space Agency has issued a call for proposals to design a fully reusable and responsive launch system based on spaceplanes, targeting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rather than established prime contractors. The call, published on 27 February, seeks proposals for at least two distinct design concepts that could demonstrate how lift-generating spaceplanes might provide…
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ESA’s Space Rider likely to launch third quarter of 2025, program manager says
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Rider program has officially begun its validation and testing phase, as it prepares for a maiden flight in the third quarter of 2025. Space Rider is Europe’s reusable uncrewed robotic laboratory that will provide an “end-to-end integrated space transportation system” for commercial customers. After launching into space, Space Rider…
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One on one ESA Director General Johann-Dietrich Wörner
Last Sunday (October 6th) the annual ESA-ESTEC open house day was held on the grounds of Europe’s largest Space facility, ESTEC in the Netherlands. This open day is part of world space week – and the week of science. This year’s theme of the open day was “Europe to the Moon”. Among the special guests…