Europe’s reusable rocket prototype Themis is installed on its launch pad

Since its arrival at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center in June, ArianeGroup teams have completed the integration of the Themis prototype. It was then transferred to the Launch Zone and erected on its launch pad.

This milestone marks the beginning of the ‘combined tests’, during which the interface between Themis and the launch pad’s mechanical, electrical and fluid systems will be thoroughly trialed, with the aim of completing a test under cryogenic conditions.

These ‘combined tests’ will subsequently lead to a first low-altitude flight test including lift-off and landing (‘hop test’) carried out as part of the European Union SALTO programme.

Themis is a European reusable main-stage demonstrator developed by ArianeGroup under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA). Standing 30m tall and equipped with a 100-tonne thrust class reusable engine, Prometheus®, Themis is similar in dimension to a medium/heavy launcher.