THALES ALENIA SPACE AND AVIO SIGN WITH EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY THE SPACE RIDER DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTTurin, December 9, 2020 – Thales Alenia Space (Thales 67 %, Leonardo 33 %), and AVIO as co-contractor, signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the development of the automated reusable Space Rider transportation system, designed for deployment by the new Vega C light launcher into low Earth orbit (LEO). The total worth of the contract is 167M€ . Space Rider is Europe’s solution for its own affordable and reusable end-to-end integrated space transportation system for unmanned missions and for routine access and return from low orbit. It will be used to transport a variety of payloads into different low Earth orbit (LEO) altitudes and inclinations.Designed as a free-flying orbital platform, Space Rider is capable of remaining two months in orbit, safely re-entering the atmosphere and landing on the ground with a precision of 150 metres. It can be recovered along with its payload, refurbished, and reused for up to six missions.Leading a consortium of European manufacturers, research centers and universities, Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the development of the reentry module (RM), the most challenging of the project derived from the IXV, experimental space shuttle made in Italy with the strong support from the Italian space agency ASI and tested in 2015. AVIO is in charge of the propulsions system and the expendable service module. Space Rider will be launched into space aboard the Vega C launcher, developed by AVIO for the European Space Agency....Planned to be launch on 2023 by Vega C light launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Space Rider system overall length is 9.7m; it records 2430 kg wet mass and can accommodate up to 600kg of payload inside a 1.2 cubic meter cargo bay. The re-entry vehicle will reach Mach 28 speed at 90 km of altitude, and sustain maximum temperature of 1700K at the nose heat stagnation; subsonic parachute will open at 16 Km altitude at around 0.73 Mach decelerating the vehicle down to 50 m/s; final part of the descent is under parafoil which has the function of energy management and aero brake (flare maneuver) to limit the landing run after touch down.
QuoteTHALES ALENIA SPACE AND AVIO SIGN WITH EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY THE SPACE RIDER DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTTurin, December 9, 2020 – Thales Alenia Space (Thales 67 %, Leonardo 33 %), and AVIO as co-contractor, signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the development of the automated reusable Space Rider transportation system, designed for deployment by the new Vega C light launcher into low Earth orbit (LEO). The total worth of the contract is 167M€ . Space Rider is Europe’s solution for its own affordable and reusable end-to-end integrated space transportation system for unmanned missions and for routine access and return from low orbit. It will be used to transport a variety of payloads into different low Earth orbit (LEO) altitudes and inclinations.Designed as a free-flying orbital platform, Space Rider is capable of remaining two months in orbit, safely re-entering the atmosphere and landing on the ground with a precision of 150 metres. It can be recovered along with its payload, refurbished, and reused for up to six missions.Leading a consortium of European manufacturers, research centers and universities, Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the development of the reentry module (RM), the most challenging of the project derived from the IXV, experimental space shuttle made in Italy with the strong support from the Italian space agency ASI and tested in 2015. AVIO is in charge of the propulsions system and the expendable service module. Space Rider will be launched into space aboard the Vega C launcher, developed by AVIO for the European Space Agency....Planned to be launch on 2023 by Vega C light launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Space Rider system overall length is 9.7m; it records 2430 kg wet mass and can accommodate up to 600kg of payload inside a 1.2 cubic meter cargo bay. The re-entry vehicle will reach Mach 28 speed at 90 km of altitude, and sustain maximum temperature of 1700K at the nose heat stagnation; subsonic parachute will open at 16 Km altitude at around 0.73 Mach decelerating the vehicle down to 50 m/s; final part of the descent is under parafoil which has the function of energy management and aero brake (flare maneuver) to limit the landing run after touch down. https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press-release/thales-alenia-space-and-avio-sign-european-space-agency-space-rider
Quote from: Mammutti on 12/09/2020 04:02 pmQuoteTHALES ALENIA SPACE AND AVIO SIGN WITH EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY THE SPACE RIDER DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT...Planned to be launch on 2023 by Vega C light launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Space Rider system overall length is 9.7m; it records 2430 kg wet mass and can accommodate up to 600kg of payload inside a 1.2 cubic meter cargo bay. The re-entry vehicle will reach Mach 28 speed at 90 km of altitude, and sustain maximum temperature of 1700K at the nose heat stagnation; subsonic parachute will open at 16 Km altitude at around 0.73 Mach decelerating the vehicle down to 50 m/s; final part of the descent is under parafoil which has the function of energy management and aero brake (flare maneuver) to limit the landing run after touch down. https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press-release/thales-alenia-space-and-avio-sign-european-space-agency-space-rider"Vega-C Light" launcher or "Vega-C" light launcher ?
QuoteTHALES ALENIA SPACE AND AVIO SIGN WITH EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY THE SPACE RIDER DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT...Planned to be launch on 2023 by Vega C light launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Space Rider system overall length is 9.7m; it records 2430 kg wet mass and can accommodate up to 600kg of payload inside a 1.2 cubic meter cargo bay. The re-entry vehicle will reach Mach 28 speed at 90 km of altitude, and sustain maximum temperature of 1700K at the nose heat stagnation; subsonic parachute will open at 16 Km altitude at around 0.73 Mach decelerating the vehicle down to 50 m/s; final part of the descent is under parafoil which has the function of energy management and aero brake (flare maneuver) to limit the landing run after touch down. https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press-release/thales-alenia-space-and-avio-sign-european-space-agency-space-rider
THALES ALENIA SPACE AND AVIO SIGN WITH EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY THE SPACE RIDER DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT...Planned to be launch on 2023 by Vega C light launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Space Rider system overall length is 9.7m; it records 2430 kg wet mass and can accommodate up to 600kg of payload inside a 1.2 cubic meter cargo bay. The re-entry vehicle will reach Mach 28 speed at 90 km of altitude, and sustain maximum temperature of 1700K at the nose heat stagnation; subsonic parachute will open at 16 Km altitude at around 0.73 Mach decelerating the vehicle down to 50 m/s; final part of the descent is under parafoil which has the function of energy management and aero brake (flare maneuver) to limit the landing run after touch down.
ESA is offering the opportunity for payloads to ride on board the first return flight, and future flights, to low orbit of its reusable Space Rider. Applications should reach ESA by 30 November.Space Rider’s planned debut is in 2023. Launched on a Vega-C rocket, it will provide a laboratory in space for an array of applications, orbit altitudes and inclinations. ESA has released a dedicated Announcement of Opportunity with no restriction on nationality for commercial or institutional customers.
These stunning new renders of @esa_SpaceRider were recently shared by the agency's Director of Space Transportation Daniel Neuenschwander. I can't wait for the maiden launch.
I am away for a much-needed week-long vacation. So, this week I've set up a few automated posts with some of my old infographics with updated info, starting with @esa_SpaceRider. The graphic has the updated maiden launch date and a new section outlining its current status.
Europe’s bid to deliver a return-to-Earth service for in-orbit transportation and research projects is rapidly taking shape, with teams working on the Space Rider spacecraft gearing up for a series of drop tests in 2023. Drop tests with small-scale models will be followed by a full-scale test in anticipation of inaugural flight towards the end of 2024. Engineering teams recently concluded the project’s critical design review and expect to consolidate the design early in 2023. Work is also underway to finalise selection of payloads that will fly on the first flight. The reusable Space Rider will be a so-called lifting body vehicle, about the size of two minivans. It is designed to land with 150m accuracy under a steerable parachute known as a parafoil, which will be the subject of some of the upcoming drop tests. Launch will be by the Vega-C rocket, which completed its inaugural flight in July 2022 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
✅ #ICYMI #SpaceRider, our reusable space vehicle, got a thumbs up to move into Phase D of development: building and testing 👍🔗 @esa_transport @ESA_Tech
Space Rider enters phase D for drop tests28/07/2023ESA / Enabling & Support / Space Transportation / Space RiderIn briefLast month ESA’s reusable space vehicle got a thumbs up to move into phase D of development: building and testing.In-depthSpace Rider is an uncrewed robotic laboratory about the size of two minivans that can stay in orbit for two months. It comes in two parts, the orbital module that supplies everything the spacecraft needs to fly around our planet and a reentry module that allows Space Rider and its experiments to return to Earth.The orbital module is an extension to the Vega-C launcher fourth stage that will guarantee power supply, orbital manoeuvring, and attitude control. The reentry module is the part of the vehicle that houses experiments and provides protection from the intensive heat that occurs entering Earth's atmosphere as well as the landing system.The review last month gives the final go-ahead for Space Rider programme to build the elements of the spacecraft as well as start intensive tests to qualify how the spacecraft will fly, return to Earth, and land. Qualification models of several units and systems have been already delivered and upon successful test campaigns, flight models will be authorised for manufacturing.Every way the wind blowsSpace Rider uses a novel technique for braking from its orbital speeds of 28 800 km/h to a soft landing on a runway to be built at Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Coming out of the supersonic speeds, at about 5 km from the landing strip Space Rider will release a parafoil and steer itself automatically to a soft landing.Tests on a smaller parafoil will start this month to prepare for a full-scale test later this year using a 70 m2 parafoil. The smaller tests will allow engineers to tweak the algorithms that will pilot the spacecraft using winches to pull and release the canopy – just like a human parapente pilot does.Nobody controls the weather, and more tests are set for next year under the worst possible conditions. The system drop test will put all the elements together and see how the landing system, software and parafoil work together for a gentle touchdown regardless of wind.The landing gear itself is also novel, Space Rider will feature a wheel at the front and two skids at the back, this design is better for the stability in case of crosswinds at landing and as the skids are flatter than wheels it allows more room inside Space Rider for the experiments.“Moving to Phase D in development is a milestone for all spaceflight projects, and the Space Rider team is looking forward to putting our theory into practice on this unique project,” says Dante Galli, Space Rider programme manager.
https://twitter.com/esa/status/1685228793286324224
