Space Rider (ESA)

Space Rider aims to provide Europe with an affordable, independent, reusable end-to-end integrated space transportation system for routine access and return from low orbit.

Created: 2018-11-01

Updated: 2025-09-06

Company - Space Rider (ESA)

Founded
Country: 2015; Italy

Funding: Yes, ?

Website: https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/Space_Rider

Social

Product/Service - Space Rider

Classification: Cargo Transportation & Landers

Category: Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)

Fields: Reusable

Status: Development

First launch: 2027

Partners: Thales Alenia, Avio

Space Rider is about the size of two minivans. Its reentry module hosts a multi-purpose cargo bay which offers 1200 litre volume for up to 600 kg of customer payloads.

It will transport payloads for an array of applications, orbit altitudes and inclinations.

Space Rider is fully integrated with Vega-C to provide a space laboratory for payloads to operate in orbit for a variety of applications in missions lasting about two months.

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 2021.

Space Rider is an uncrewed robotic laboratory about the size of two minivans. After launch on Vega-C it will stay in low orbit for about two months. Experiments inside its cargo bay will allow technology demonstration and benefit research in pharmaceutics, biomedicine, biology and physical science. At the end of its mission, Space Rider will return to Earth with its payloads and land on a runway to be unloaded and refurbished for another flight.

After landing safely back on Earth, Space Rider will be refurbished for re-use, with each vehicle designed to make at least five re-flights of about two months’ duration.

The ESA Announcement of Opportunity issued in September 2021 resulted in 40+ potential institutional and commercial customer entities showing interest in flying aboard Space Rider. Since then, several further requests for flights have been considered.

On June 20, 2023, the Space Rider programme proceeded into Phase D of its development, allowing qualification and production to commence. While delivery of the main structures of the re-entry and service modules is only expected in 2024, flight units of some components are already complete.

Status Comment

This European Spaceflight article says 2027 for first flight.

ESA Member States to Vote on Future of Space Rider in November, 2025-01-25.

Notes

Link

Sources

Most sources should be linked in the texts and headings as revealed by mouse-over, but here are they listed for visibility.

[1] https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/Space_Rider

[2] https://spacenews.com/esa-targets-2021-for-space-rider-demo-flight/

[3] https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Space_Rider/Announcement_of_opportunity_to_fly_payloads_on_ESA_s_Space_Rider

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