Imagine if airplanes were thrown away after every single flight; flying would be incredibly expensive. This project is building a 'boomerang' rocket that can fly up, come back down, and be used again. By mastering the art of landing and refurbishing these boosters, Europe can make sending satellites into space much cheaper and greener.
Europe currently lags behind global competitors in reusable rocket technology, leading to higher launch costs and dependence on non-EU providers for space access.
A scale-1 reusable vehicle for low-altitude hop tests, a mathematical formulation for launcher sizing, and prototypes for lightweight tanks and bio-sourced thermal protection.
If you are a launch provider dealing with the high cost of disposable boosters — this project developed reusable first-stage technologies that aim to improve space access costs by 50%. This allows for more frequent launches with lower overhead per mission.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with expensive thermal shielding — this project developed low-cost bio-sourced thermal protection and lightweight tank industrialization. This enables the production of cheaper, more sustainable rocket components.
If you are a state agency dealing with dependence on foreign launch capabilities — this project developed a strategic reusable launcher roadmap. This secures an independent capacity to access space and ensures autonomy of supply for critical equipment.
The project aims for a vision of a future launch fleet that improves space access costs by 50%.
The project is currently maturing technologies up to TRL5/6 and performing 'hop tests' with scale-1 vehicles to prepare for future industrialization.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project is coordinated by ArianeGroup SAS with 26 partners across 12 countries.
The project runs until September 2026, with a roadmap aiming for suborbital tests by 2025 and a reusable launch fleet in the 2030s.
It builds upon Themis activities and aligns with the Space Strategy for Europe to reinforce the EU's independent access to space.
The project is heavily industry-driven, with 21 industrial partners (81% of the consortium) and 7 SMEs, indicating a strong focus on commercial viability rather than pure academic research. Led by ArianeGroup SAS, the 26 partners span 12 European countries, ensuring a broad industrial base for the strategic launcher roadmap.
Contact ArianeGroup SAS regarding the SALTO reusable launcher roadmap.
Contact us to find partners for the 2025 suborbital test phase.
