ESA advances Space Rider with reentry and landing tests
Updated
Updated · Space.com · May 6
ESA advances Space Rider with reentry and landing tests
8 articles · Updated · Space.com · May 6
The agency completed a full-size drop-test model and plasma wind-tunnel trials at 1,600C, with helicopter drops planned later this year over Sardinia's Salto di Quirra range.
Tests targeted the final landing phase under a steerable parafoil and examined how the thermal protection system performs even when deliberately damaged to mimic debris or micrometeoroid strikes.
Space Rider is being developed as Europe's first reusable orbital vehicle, an uncrewed laboratory able to spend about two months in low Earth orbit before returning experiments and cargo.
As private spaceplanes near operation, can Europe's Space Rider offer a truly competitive service for orbital research?
With its launcher's booster prioritized for Ariane 6, will Space Rider's 2028 debut face unavoidable delays?
Europe's Space Rider: Autonomous Parafoil Landing and Thermal Shield Ready for Reusable Orbital Missions
Overview
In 2026, ESA successfully validated the innovative parafoil landing system for its reusable Space Rider spacecraft through extensive drop tests in Sardinia. These tests demonstrated a world-first autonomous guidance system that enables precise, gentle runway landings, protecting sensitive payloads and simplifying recovery for rapid reuse. Concurrently, rigorous thermal protection testing confirmed the spacecraft's ability to withstand extreme reentry temperatures of 1600°C, even when damaged. Scheduled for launch in early 2028, Space Rider has already attracted 18 commercial clients and will initially be operated end-to-end by ESA, with plans to transition operations to commercial partners. This program significantly advances Europe's strategic autonomy and reusable space capabilities.