Since 2015, SpaceX has shown a considerable advance in terms of low-cost reusable rocket with the Falcon 9. Europe is still behind, however, to acquire such a launcher.
As evidenced by this unprecedented alliance between the young French company Flying Whales, specialist in helium airships, and ArianeWorks, the incubator of Ariane Group, the manufacturer of the European rocket Ariane, and of the National Center for Space Studies ( CNES).
Read also: Ariane 6: the first flight postponed to 2022
Created in February 2019 “in
order to accelerate the roadmap for the reuse of future European launchers and in particular the reusable Themis stage demonstrator
”, ArianeWorks entrusted Flying Whales with an initial study.
The idea is to "model" a transport concept using the LCA60T airship as part of a mission to recover Themis, placed on a barge a few hundred kilometers from the coast of Guyana, then to transport it to Kourou. at the Guyanese Space Center (CSG).
Partnership with the Nouvelle Aquitaine region
To this end, a dedicated team of
This article is for subscribers only.
You have 76% left to discover.
Subscribe: 1 € the first month
Can be canceled at any time
Enter your email
Already subscribed?
Log in
