3 days ago
Europe conducts critical drop tests on reusable spacecraft
The European Space Agency's reusable spacecraft Space Rider has successfully completed a crucial series of drop tests, bringing it closer to becoming Europe's versatile orbital laboratory for a wide range of the size of two minivans, Space Rider is designed to stay in low Earth orbit for up to three months, enabling scientific research, in-orbit manufacturing, and visits to orbital platforms before returning safely to recent drop-test campaign took place at the Salto di Quirra testing range in Sardinia, Italy, where models of Space Rider's reentry module were released from an Italian Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at altitudes between 1 and 2.5 kilometers.
These tests focused on two critical systems: the parachutes that slow the spacecraft during descent and the flight-control software that autonomously guides Space Rider to a precise landing Space Rider reenters Earth's atmosphere, it faces extreme conditions—traveling over six times the speed of sound and enduring temperatures exceeding ensure a safe landing, a sequence of parachutes deploys: first a drogue chute just below the speed of sound for initial braking, followed by a pilot chute that pulls out a large parafoil at around 5 km altitude. This parafoil then steers the spacecraft to a targeted landing with remarkable tests confirmed the parachutes' reliable deployment and speed reduction capabilities, as well as the effectiveness of the autonomous guidance test model, equipped with sensors and control avionics, descended without any ground intervention, landing within 150 meters of the target—a world-first achievement for precision landing under parafoil.
pace Rider represents a major step forward for reusable European spaceflight. (Photo: ESA)
This campaign was led by Thales Alenia Space Italia, with support from industrial partners and the Italian Defence sector, which provided essential logistics and access to the test ahead, Space Rider will undergo further full-system drop tests, including simulations of worst-case landing scenarios to ensure payload safety. The spacecraft is designed for quick turnaround, undergoing six months of maintenance before returning to orbit for subsequent Rider represents a major step forward for reusable European spaceflight, promising to advance research in pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, materials science, and space technology while offering routine, affordable access to and return from orbit.- Ends
