Since its arrival at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center in June, ArianeGroup teams have completed the integration of the Themis prototype, which was then transferred to the Launch Zone and erected on its launch pad.
This milestone marks the beginning of the ‘combined tests,’ during which the interface between Themis and the launch pad’s mechanical, electrical and fluid systems will be thoroughly trialed, with the aim of completing a test under cryogenic conditions.
These ‘combined tests’ will subsequently lead to a first low-altitude flight test, including lift-off and landing (‘hop test’), carried out as part of the European Union SALTO program.
Themis is a European reusable main-stage demonstrator developed by ArianeGroup under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA). Standing 30m tall and equipped with a 100-ton thrust class reusable engine, Prometheus®, Themis is similar in dimension to a medium/heavy launcher.
The aim of the SALTO project
The SALTO aims to raise the maturity level of the first European reusable rocket technology, significantly reduce launch costs, ensure improvements in the environmental footprint and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in strategic space missions.
SALTO project will test vertical landing of a reusable launcher stage prototype
SALTO will perform, for the first time in Europe, fly / recover / re-fly cycles of a reusable rocket first-stage demonstrator.
The SALTO project aims to validate the landing phase, which is particularly complex but essential in order to be able to recover a launcher. Test campaigns will be conducted in Kiruna, Sweden.
