Themis, ArianeGroup’s reusable rocket stage demonstrator, has been fully integrated and is now standing on the launch pad at Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden. Measuring about 30 m in height and 3.5 m in diameter, the vehicle is equipped with a cryogenic propulsion system powered by the Prometheus engine.
The demonstrator was transported over 3,000 km from its assembly site in France and developed by ArianeGroup as coordinator of the HaDEA-managed SALTO project. Implemented within the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Future Space Transportation programme and supported through the EU’s Horizon Europe framework, Themis is entering its final preparations ahead of its first flight test campaign. These tests will provide essential data for the validation of reusable launch vehicle technologies in Europe.
In this context, HaDEA Director Marina Zanchi, Head of HaDEA’s Space Research Unit Marko Curavić, and Project Officer Simon Conticello visited the Esrange Space Center. Several representatives of the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) together with experts from ESA also participated in the visit. The presence of these key players alongside with the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and ArianeGroup confirmed the fruitful collaboration and the commitment within the EU space sector to innovation and strategic autonomy in space transportation.
