ArianeGroup's Successful Hydrogen Peroxide Thruster Test for Themis Project
Key Ideas
- ArianeGroup conducted successful hot-fire tests of a 3D-printed, flight-configured 240N hydrogen peroxide thruster for the Themis project.
- The thruster's development, partially funded by the European Commission's SALTO project, aims to enhance technologies for reusable launch vehicles and vertical landing capabilities.
- The hydrogen peroxide thruster may play a crucial role in the Themis demonstrator's reaction control system for precise attitude control during flight phases.
- Preparations for integrating the thrusters into the Themis vehicle at ArianeGroup's Les Mureaux facilities in France are underway, followed by the shipment to the launch site in northern Sweden.
ArianeGroup has successfully conducted a series of hot-fire tests on a 3D-printed, flight-configured 240N hydrogen peroxide thruster at the DLR facilities in Lampoldshausen, Germany. Led by ArianeGroup, the SALTO project, funded in part by the European Commission, aims to advance technologies for reusable launch vehicles, with a focus on vertical landing capabilities. The thruster's development is speculated to be associated with the Themis project, a European Space Agency initiative for testing and validating key technologies. ArianeGroup is preparing the Themis vehicle in Les Mureaux, France, with final verification of flight-configured components and integration of the hydrogen peroxide thruster for precise attitude control during flight phases. The upcoming Themis demonstrator is expected to utilize the Prometheus rocket engine as its primary propulsion system and a flip control thruster developed by SpaceForest for initiating rotation before re-entry burn. The successful completion of the hydrogen peroxide thruster test marks a milestone in enhancing space technology for future missions.
Topics
Projects
Space Exploration
European Commission
Space Technology
Rocket Propulsion
Reusable Launch Vehicles
Vertical Landing
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