To orbit and back with Space Rider

Space Rider is an uncrewed robotic laboratory about the size of two minivans. After launch on Vega-C, this reusable spacecraft will stay in low orbit for about two months, conducting research in microgravity or observing the Earth or deep space. At the end of its mission, Space Rider will return to Earth with its payloads to be unloaded and refurbished for another flight.
Credit: ESA/Frame by Frame
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#ESA
#Orbit
#SpaceRider

[@anabelsierras14]

WOW. Until I read the "ESA" sign, I totally thought it was EVE Online (it's not promotion). This ship is absolutely beautiful. Congratulations to this new, advanced and more sustainable technology 🚀🌌💙

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Thank you very much, Anabel!

[@Hodoss]

Warp Drive Active.

[@denniss.258]

Awesome spacecraft. It will definitely open the future of aerospace for Europe.🚀🇪🇺

[@Hatzi89]

Awesome, and you can clearly see the lineage of the hermes in its design

[@kosmolabs_]

yep

[@3gunslingers]

Yeah, we will see the way of Hermes in this design....

[@MarcWeertsMusic]

Fantastic! What a beautiful spacecraft! And very much designed for practical use.

[@thejesuschrist]

God speed!

[@evangelosspyromilios5994]

I would prefer light speed :)

[@MayuriK_it]

Yeah! Can't wait to see this beautiful Space Rider fly! Go ESA, go Europe!

[@Haaarley]

Love the ksp fairing This is really cool I hope it actually gets built

[@donjones4719]

Interesting design choices, I see ESA has selected for the quickest path to flight, avoiding the complication and mass and expense of runway landing or trying to land the overall large mass of a craft containing the engines and tanks, etc.

[@paulrichardson2554]

It's definitely better than the other two cancelled ones.

[@LarrytheSaturnian]

hermes and Susie?

[@Feefa99]

@@LarrytheSaturnian to be honest I like Susie

[@YF501]

Susie got cancelled?

[@paulrichardson2554]

@@YF501 No(t yet)

[@jmchdjaimerporkpuedolol3681]

You know what they say, third time is the charm!

[@rodrigorosatoalves]

GO EUROPE!! More than ever the World needs leadership and inspiration. Be that beacon which we need so dearly!!

[@LarrytheSaturnian]

This thing is GOING in my KSP save file!

[@dealieno]

I love this little shoe 🥿

[@heshamyoussef8654]

Quite an interesting design choice, wishing ESA the best of luck through their journey of making it a reality, and I can't wait to see if this will affect the industry as much as reusable first stages did.

[@hanna_GG2]

Finally! I love Europe 🇪🇺🇪🇺

[@shira9990]

This looks good. I really want to see this in action.

[@FutureAIDev2015]

Whoa. They definitely get all the style points in my book.

[@oltsu1234]

This will definitely be a new step in experiments in space and all kinds of observation! And the craft looks absolutely stunning!

[@danielefabbro822]

First time we Italians try to develop a space shuttle. Hope this will be useful for all of Europe and the whole Planet. 😉👍

[@ladydustin7811]

I hope so to. But Vega c is having to much trouble lately.

[@danielefabbro822]

@@ladydustin7811 so its time to develop a new rocket. 😎👍

[@il_vero_saspacifico6141]

Reusable 😃💪

[@mariadaluzmoutinho5701]

É incrível de ver ESA...é fantástica inovação!! Parabéns pela grande ideia...simplesmente admirável!!

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Obrigado, Maria!

[@AppleLauda_destroyer99942]

oh my gosh... it's an amazing vehicle

[@kevaibhav4490]

Love you ESA ❤️

[@tertiaryobjective]

Wow, cool looking spacecraft, such small control surfaces though, better have all the control authorities really dialed in during reentry. Best luck!

[@engineering_chaos2749]

I'm excited to read about the results of research conducted by Space Rider.

[@Luckyamor]

Go ahead ESA ❤️

[@jfidel3943]

Amazing work, ESA!! Can't wait to see what science and research comes out of this, for the benefit of life on Earth and beyond!! GO ESA! :-)

[@lannes2068]

AMAZING!

[@alanmcmillan6969]

Great move, this is progress!

[@dhanprasadpradhan]

GOOD LUCK ESA !!!

[@dagreatgibson7957]

My lord, its so fascinating!!!!! Its like a dream.

[@sandrabarcelonaeurope]

Wuaauuu!! Amazing video! We are manufacturing the Space Rider parachute. Proud to be part! :-)

[@MarsChroniken]

Wow! Can't wait to see that beautiful spacecraft take to the skys!

[@vivimonsalve8914]

Me encanta este concepto

[@versutiagaming9401]

Who thought spacecraft could be sexy?! Gods speed ESA

[@princetomar1079]

Wow that great. us, india ,china also work on this technology's. this is really fascinating me for future. Good luck for this mission.

[@Feefa99]

LET'S DO IT!

[@HevonCZR]

Awesome!!!

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@alessandroricotta5223]

Fantastico!

[@SystemBD]

OK.... Not gonna lie, *that's* pretty cool,

[@Oreillion]

Very interesting! Up and back like a shuttle. Now how to deal with the parts that get left behind before returning.

[@ImmortalAbsol]

Let's go!

[@tecmons]

I can't be waiting the launch with Vega-C next Year :D

[@amangogna68]

Amazing video !

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Glad you think so!

[@tsr207]

An excellent solution to routine access to space for Europe !

[@mart43]

cool

[@rjung_ch]

How many parts of the whole rocket are reusable? Is it just the last part in the video we can see, then it's a small start into reusability. If more is to come, the better for sure. If Vega-C is totally disposed of, aka single use, then it's really only a drop in the bucket.

[@piranha031091]

I see it's heavily based on the IXV! ^^

[@olufbagger]

Hoping for a version supporting human spaceflight.

[@merion297]

YAY!! 🤘🏼 🤘🏼 🤘🏼 🤘🏼 👏👏👏

[@karlkastor]

This is such a cool spacecraft, I hope it will actually launch. Then make a manned version to make an European dreamchaser :)

[@diegoalatriste5055]

The European Boeing X-37B or MiG-105M one ...

[@TheCow2face]

Still using a one time use rocket, but at least its a start :) hope this don't go the way of Hermes

[@user-pc2tu6pr9z]

Looks great, however like with most ESA projects it would have been really useful if it have been finished 10 years ago.

[@Mr_Lexy]

Выглядит , с точки зрения реализации, реалистичнее чем корабль от SpaceX. Удачи и успехов!

[@dphuntsman]

Sorry, but with respect, Down Arrow. They aren’t comparable; aren’t on the same page….aren’t even in the same book! This Space Rider proposal..that’s all it is at this point….is a smaller, catch-up, European version to catch up with what the Chinese have already been doing; and the Chinese version is a catch-up version with what the US Air Force/Space Force has now been doing, multiple times- and for much longer- for years now. THOSE are what this is following. SpaceX’s Starship….which, unlike this vehicle- is actually in active testing right now in preparation for first flight- is part of not only Earth’s largest booster (and return) FULLY reusable operational system, but one that is not intended for just small ‘experiments’; but rather, to change the operational space transportation paradigm, for everything. I applaud ESA for- finally- getting into the (partially) reusable game, albeit over a decade late; but starting out in this small one is one part of the way to go about it. - Dave Huntsman

[@Peteboi64932]

From my space side, this is awsome From my SpaceX side: this is esa’s starship From my Kerbal space program side: IMMA DO IT

[@viewoftoday101]

SpaceX good but ESA is the best = Power of Europe🎉

[@NomadeDesGrauenSalzes]

Fu** yeaaaaa 🇪🇺

[@Nithincr1]

♥️😍

[@lerk.]

Return, Reload, build a new rocket because you threw it away completely, relaunch.

[@leonardoperelli1322]

😂😂

[@theboatgoat]

When will it fly?

[@evangelosspyromilios5994]

GO EU!🚀

[@JTanSC]

imagine this with a reusable rocket too

[@Fabian-bx5pm]

And what happened to the stages fired up in the beginning? I am a huge ESA fan but don’t see much reuse here.

[@randuru]

The purpose of the Space Rider is to have a spacecraft that can return the experiments for evaluation on the ground. Nothing more, nothing less.

[@Fabian-bx5pm]

@@randuru Thank you for your feedback on this, Ran Duru! Maybe I am simply too ambitious here :)

[@mackaiser1127]

Awesome Animation but the Conept hat many nagetive Gains in my Optinion. Why is the Athmospheric Fairing not part of the hull? Its nessisary to lainch an Service Module and left it in Space? Why not aeverthing in one Vehicle? it could be reused.

[@randuru]

One step by another. Let's master the re-entry of the most important part - the scientific load - first. And when we have gathered enough flight data and experience with the design of the spacecraft then we can take the next step and, maybe, integrate the service module in the re-entry craft.

[@juless27]

interesting.

[@Uselesscommentary]

Why not design it to return with the service module? Is it due to weight or size?

[@randuru]

The purpose of the Spacerider is to have a spacecraft that can return the experiments for evaluation on the ground. The service module is not needed for this.

[@SupernovaeProductions]

Where did the booster land?

[@coenogo]

In the ocean. Space Rider will be launched using the Vega-C rocket, which is expendable.

[@robertobruselas3952]

Is ESA doing enough to put Europe back on track in the very competitive space race? The near future will tell us. We missed the first train. I hope the "Space Rider" will bring Europe to the next level of reusable space systems. Get this thing done!

[@ladydustin7811]

It is all a matter of budget. Esa can only do what the member states are willing to finance.

[@Acefisch]

Where do i have to apply to work on this?

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

You can find out more here 👉 www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA

[@xxxfreshman]

Very nice, but would it be not better to put the Solar Panels like Origami into the Spacecraft, than it is more reusable.

[@Stefma4All]

From this animated announcement looks like there's no space junk left behind, everything is 100% reusable!🚀 EDIT: WAIT does booster land?

[@bwjclego]

The only thing that lands is the space rider spacecraft itself. The entire Vega C rocket is expended and the Space Rider service module is disposed of in the atmosphere.

[@Schmidtelpunkt]

@@bwjclego So essentially that thing is an improved capsule? Is this really cheaper than just staying full expendable?

[@randuru]

@@Schmidtelpunkt The purpose of the Spacerider is to have a spacecraft that can return the experiments for evaluation on the ground.

[@Schmidtelpunkt]

@@randuru That I understand. But when the only part reusable is the front end, is it really cheaper than just using an ablative heat shield and parachutes?

[@AlexandreLollini]

and biology ? climat controlled interior space ?

[@PRM1X]

L'avenir de l'Europe !

[@user-pi6ed2sh3y]

With satelit tampa tehnologi satelit

[@jouroz14]

bet this is going to be manned aswell

[@SamuelMellert]

If only they also had a realistic plan for a reusable launch system.

[@jmirodg7094]

It is much more efficient to make sure that your first stage is reusable. That is where you have most of the costs. What is the payload to weight ratio of this top stage? This looks like a gimmick for me. 🤔

[@bosoerjadi2838]

630kg payload capacity is huge.

[@gautamnatrajan1990]

This looks just like the Russian Klipper shuttle.

[@janklaas6885]

🕊️1:30 1🕊️2:37

[@leweed3049]

But the main rocket will not land by itself??

[@djstoplichtofficial]

Awesome concept, hope it goes somewhere! I do wonder though, how much longer do we want government agencies to keep do the spacecraft side of things, when the commercial industry is starting to show some really good progress? Take Sierra's Dream Chaser for example. It has pretty much the same payload mass capabilities, so once that's up and running it could be a very good alternative for designing your own spacecraft. All the (tax)money spent on a programme like this could instead be used to fund scientific missions and payloads. Anyways, more space stuff is always cool, so best of luck!

[@Schmidtelpunkt]

When a company defaults, so does the capability to go to space.

[@xTheLofilD]

So only 10% if the rocket will return?

[@aaronjacobs3980]

It's basically a declassified, European version of the x-37b

[@mariasirona1622]

The important and expensive part

[@3gunslingers]

@@mariasirona1622 Wouldn't need to be this expensive with a reusable and therefore cheaper and much bigger rocket.

[@nevillepass]

Why not use helicopter like blades after re entry for a controlled landing?er I'm no expert but seams better than a parachute??😁👍

[@Feefa99]

Blades would add complexity, they should be able to survive reentry but that's hard all by itself, because you need blunt shapes for that.

[@JimmyStiffFingers]

That's called a rotary rocket. Doesn't work, though.

[@Pharisaeus]

SpaceRider is not a simple capsule, it has lifting body properties and movable flaps which allows for steering during re-entry. It can aim the landing pretty well, no need for a helicopter.

[@bosoerjadi2838]

Too much weight. Not just the blades but also the required mechanisms. Parachutes are simple, relatively lightweight and reliable in use.

[@Computador.Hal-9OOO]

Like nº 971 On Brazil

[@steelbrotherhoodof2359]

then it finally hits us, "we need to build arocket base on the moon with fuel." now we wait patiently until the quatter falls. and after it is complete. assembled by robots. then we return too earth with its hamburgers instead of ibstead dried food powder. and after that. we go too the moon.. (call it a non linear sequental time perception. a contra casuality principle. a pvilosphy where the answer and solotion comes AFTER THE LIFE TREATHNING PROBLEM AND QUESTION. instead upfront. :-)

[@reeselisko3485]

Likely to never get past the drawing board.

[@Attilakiralyart]

That's a Lot of space junk for an "efficient reusable" spacecraft....

[@jonbravo8610]

90% waste to orbit only 10% returns

[@Astro_lixi]

Del tipo SpaceX togliti di mezzo

[@eddjordan2399]

Mint

[@Antoineforum]

Il n'était pas possible de proposer moins, sans risquer un déclassement durable pour l'Europe. Après je redoute que ce ne soit pas suffisant pour demeurer demain encore, un acteur d'importance du secteur. Voilà donc la meilleur réalisation que 22 états européens peuvent réaliser ensemble.... l'Union ne fait pas toujours la force apparemment. 🫤

[@filmopfil]

maby Coca-Cola or McDonalds could be a sponsor ? why no sponsors ? to avoid influence ?

[@Stefma4All]

This is not a private company, last thing we need in space are ADS! We are going to space for science!